


A Marriage of Convenience

by conceptstage



Series: Multi-Chapter Critical Role [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Nonbinary Character, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-09-06 08:38:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 50,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16828996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/conceptstage/pseuds/conceptstage
Summary: Beau has run off every suitor her parents have thrown at her so far and the first one to stick around for more than a few days doesn't even seem interested in her. She needs to get rid of him fast before her mother thinks she's won and starts planning the wedding but Caleb is... strange.





	1. Chapter 1

The anticipation in the air was palpable as Madam Georgina Lionett fussed around the Grand Hall. Her wide skirt swished around her elegantly as she danced around the room so smoothly it looked as if her feet didn’t even touch the ground. “No, no!” she exclaimed, rushing over to a pair of servants as they arranged the flowers. “Not yellow, red. Red is in our crest, there should be red all over this room, do it again.” She turned and looked at the table settings, the fourth arrangement she’d had the servants try. “Yes, yes, this is close. Change the plates to something more… summer-y. Has anyone seen Beauregard?” she asked.

“She’s getting dressed, Madam,” one of the attendants said, following her mistress around and nearly tripping in the raised heels she was required to wear even though her feet were black and blue by the time she got home every evening.

Georgina froze, her eyes wide. “Alone? No, nonono, someone needs to-”

She was cut off when one of the butlers rushed up. “Madam, the carriage from the Academy has arrived.”

Georgina took a deep breath in through her nose and held it for longer than she probably should, before letting her entire soul out in a sigh. “I will greet them at the door. Make sure those flowers are red before we get in here. And Helena, please go find my daughter. Make sure she doesn’t show up in those- those…”

“Slacks, Madam.”

“Yes those. Burn them if you must.”

“Right away, Madam,” Helena, her head attendant rushed off as Georgina started towards the Front Hall.

Georgina paused briefly to fix the corner of one of the rugs with the toe of her shoe and then stood with her back straight and a kind smile on her face as the front doors were pulled open. “This one will work,” she mumbled through her teeth, not moving her lips. “This one will work. Please Gods, let this one work.”

The man who walked in was certainly not as handsome as the other suitors who had come through. He had a scruffy beard and sad blue eyes but maybe scruffy and sad was her daughter’s type. He didn’t really look her in the eyes, he just smiled at her shoulder and gave a short bow. When he stood up straight he pushed his shoulder length, curly red hair out of his face. “Madam Lionett. It’s truly a pleasure. Your home is lovely.” His words were nervous and rehearsed. She could tell he had practiced them several times, possibly right before he walked in the door. His accent was a bit jarring but he didn’t need to be perfect, he just needed to survive.

“And you must be Caleb Widogast, it’s a honor to have such an esteemed member of the Academy grace our halls. I’m sure that you’re eager to meet my lovely daughter and settle in for dinner. Come this way, we have everything ready. Charles will take your coat.” She waved at one of the butlers who had been holding open the door. “Charles.”

The butler nodded and rushed over, letting the door drift closed behind him as he took the red and yellow coat. “Thank you, Charles,” Caleb said.

The butler frowned down at his own shoes. “My name is Henry,” he said, before rushing off. “She calls us all Charles.”

Caleb filed away this information as he did all information and started following the lady of the house back through the halls. “You’ll have to forgive my husband. He wanted to be here when you arrived but he simply couldn’t get away from work.”

“No, it’s quite alright. I understand.”

“Oh, I hope so, Beauregard will likely be the same when she takes over the business. And I’m sure you’ll be very busy with your… wizarding activities.”

“I’m a professor at the Academy, Madam.”

“Oh yes, that’s right.” There had been so many suitors going in and out of this home in the last two years it was impossible to keep them straight. Usually she didn’t even bother remembering their names, she had Helena for that. There was no use getting to know a man only for him to march right back out the door no longer than two days later. The record was three days, and the man had been unconscious for two of those. She heard that the servants had begun betting on how long the suitor would last. It wouldn’t surprise her at all if that had been Beauregard’s idea.

They reached the Grand Hall and Georgina was relieved to find that all the flowers and plates had been changed. The room was perfect. She took a seat in her usual chair at the end of the table, across from her husband’s usual chair at the head. Not that he was ever there to use it.

Caleb’s and Beauregard’s places were set across from one another in the middle of the table so that her daughter would be close enough to speak to her suitor but too far away to speak to her mother.

“Your home is lovely,” the wizard said again as he took his seat.

“Thank you, Sir. I work very hard to maintain it.”

Caleb heard one of the servants snort. “Yeah,  _ she _ works hard,” the girl muttered.

“Beauregard should be down in just a moment.”

No sooner had she finished speaking…  _ crash! _ there was a noise in the hall. “Beau- No, your mother will kill me! Beauregard!” called a voice that was clearly unaware that they could hear her. “Beau, please!”

The door was thrown open and in marched a dark skinned young lady dressed in loose blue pants and a crop top that showed off defined abs and arms lined with the lithe muscle of a martial artist or a gymnast. She was not bulky, this was a body built for speed and agility. Her hair was freshly shorn into an undercut with the remaining hair on top of her head pulled up in a haphazard bun.

“Beauregard Amelle Lionett!” Georgina exclaimed. “What in the Gods’ names did you do to your hair?!” She caught Caleb’s eyes like she had suddenly remembered they weren’t alone and cleared her throat, quickly rising to her feet.

Beau dodged her mother’s attempts to grab her arm and hurriedly sat down in her chair, leaning it back and propping her bare feet on the table. “You must be the nerd wizard.”

Caleb raised a bushy, unkempt red eyebrow. “And you must be Beauregard. I can see that your mother’s letter describing your beauty was not a lie.”

Beau frowned. He was teasing her, she was sure of it. “I don’t know what you’re playing at, asshole, but it’s not gonna work.”

Georgina came over to stand by her daughter’s chair and ripped her feet off the table. “Beauregard, we do not put our feet on the table. I am terribly sorry, Mister Widogast, I don’t know what’s come over my daughter, she’s usually a very sweet, proper young lady.”

Caleb didn’t want to mention that he had heard all the stories about her daughter. Beauregard was a tornado and he was ready to bunker down for a few days to get what he wanted. “It’s no issue at all, Madam. I look forward to getting to know her as you do, a sweet, proper young lady.”

Beau watched him suspiciously. The feet on the table was usually enough to throw off the usual suitor that came through, but she’d never heard of this Widogast guy and had shaved off half her hair just to be safe. “Trust me, you’re gonna be disappointed, Widogast.”

The food started being brought out as Georgina retook her seat. Caleb took a spoonful of soup and blew on it gently. “What makes you say that?” he asked.

“Everybody is eventually.”

He paused and looked up to meet her defiant eyes. Her words were sad and lonely but her face was determined and angry. This was a person who knew who she was and leaned into the parts of her that didn’t fit. He strangely found himself beginning to like her. In the end, it didn’t matter.  _ She _ didn’t matter. He was on a mission and he wasn’t about to let a stubborn, rebel princess stand in his way.

Before Georgina began to eat her soup she cleared her throat to get Beau to look at her. Beau did, rolling her head around her shoulders obnoxiously until she caught her mother’s eye. Georgina gave her daughter as severe look. “We will have a discussion about this later. With your father.”

Caleb didn’t miss the way the young woman flinched before turning back to her dinner. Georgina eventually dragged Caleb into a pleasant conversation about his time at the Academy but Beauregard didn’t speak again the entire meal.

That evening, after the extremely awkward dinner was concluded, Caleb was lead up to his guest room in the West Wing and Beau was forced to follow her mother to the South Wing and into her father’s office. Sir Eston Lionett was bent over his desk with an oil lamp burning, giving his face an eerie, otherworldly glow.

“Eston,” Georgina said, marching over and closing the ledger in front of him. He sat up straight and glared at her.

“Georgina, what is the meaning of this?”

“Look at your daughter, Eston. Look at what she did to her beautiful hair.”

Eston turned his tired, angry eyes to his daughter and the look that crossed his face honestly scared her. Beau flashed back to that night as a child when that same look lead to her with a concussion and two days with the clerics. But she wasn’t a child now. She stood up straight and squeezed her hands into fists so tightly that she could feel her fingernails cutting into the skin of her palm.

This was going to be a long night.

When Caleb got to his room he found his bags already there. He set about unpacking, coming up with a plan, when he heard a noise coming from one of his bags. He froze.

“ _ Hallo _ ?” he called. “ _ Herauskommen _ .” He tracked the noises to his largest suitcase sitting on the bed and crept over to it. “ _ Hallo _ ?” He undid the latch and the case flew open, clothes thrown across the room. He cried out in surprise and fell onto the ground as a figure stood up in the darkness with his underclothes draped over its ears. It’s green ears. It’s long, green ears with a notch cut out of one. “Nott?”

The little goblin tore his clothes off of her face and grinned at him, her teeth flashing in the moonlight. “Caleb! I hid in your suitcase!”

“I can see that.  _ Was _ ? I told you I was only going to be gone for a couple of days.”

“But that’s like months in goblin years. I was gonna miss you!”

“How did you breathe in there?”

Nott climbed out of the suitcase and flipped it over, off the bed and upside down, so that his clothes scattered all over the floor. She hoped down and pointed to a fist sized hole on the back. “I made that.”

Caleb sighed and nodded. “Okay. Well, I’m glad you’re here,  _ liebling _ .”

“Did you meet your wife? What’s she like?”

“She’s not my wife yet, and she won’t be if either of us has anything to say about it. I told you I wasn’t going to go through with it. She’s run off every single suitor who's ever tried, I just needed to stand her long enough to find that book.”

“Is she as awful as they say?”

“She-” He paused, trying to word his answer in a way she’d understand. “She’s awful in a unique way. They didn’t like her because she wasn’t as prim and proper as they wanted her to be.”

“And why don’t you like her?”

“I don’t…. dislike her. She’s an interesting brand of crazy. At the very least, her antics should draw attention away from whatever I do. Speaking of which,” he said, changing out of his stuffy clothes and into something more comfortable. “One of the servants told me where the library is. I was gonna head over and get a headstart. You can come so long as you stay hidden.”

“Oh, yeah, I can do that! I’ll be Nott the Shadow, invisible to the naked eye.”

Caleb smiled softly and draped an enchanted cloak around her shoulders, just in case. “Stay close.” He cracked the door open just enough to peek his head through and check to make sure that the hallway was clear. Then he put his finger to his lip to remind her to be quiet and opened it all the way so that they could both step out side by side. The library was in the West Wing, the same wing as the bedrooms, but it was at the end where this wing connected with the center. It wasn’t a long walk, but he took it slow and careful to keep from gaining any attention. 

He was almost there, he could see the grand double doors just a few yards away, when there was the sound of stomping feet and quiet cursing coming up the stairs ahead. He shuffled Nott behind a plant to hide. Only her ears stuck out but they just looked like leaves and he didn’t have time to worry. A head crested the stairs and he recognized that undercut. It had been torn out of the bun and was laying heavily over the side of Beau’s face as she made it to the top of the stairs. She caught his eye but quickly looked away. Not quick enough. He saw the swelling around her eye and darkening bruise over her nose and cheek from yards away.

“Ar-Are you alright?” he asked as she passed him by.

She shoved him into the plant and he knocked it down, revealing Nott. Thankfully, she wasn’t looking and he was quickly able to right the plant. “Fuck you,” she said, her teeth stained bloody red. She stomped down to what must have been her bedroom and slammed the door so hard the walls shook.

The hall fell silent again. “Who was that?”

Caleb sighed and began to lead her towards the library again. “That was my betrothed.”

“Does she need help?” Nott asked, reaching up to take his hand in her own and being mindful of her claws.

“She seems like the kind of person who can take care of herself,  _ ja _ ? Besides, we have other things to focus on.” The goblin looked unsure and looked over her shoulder at the door the young woman had disappeared into, but followed Caleb into the library.

Beau woke up the next morning, her head and entire face pounding. She could still taste the blood in her mouth. Her right eye was swollen shut and her nose was definitely broken. With a groan she sat up, still in her clothes and makeup from the day before, and left her room, heading towards the infirmary. She walked in to find the assistant cleric fussing over one of the gardeners who’d cut off his pinky with the shears. He whimpered as he held the severed limb together and she cast a spell over him to knit the skin and bones back together.

“Don’t be a baby,” she chastised. “It’s just a pinky.”

The gardener opened his mouth (to complain about her bedside manner, no doubt) when he caught sight of the young mistress in the doorway and his entire face turned red. “B-Beggin your pardon, Young Mistress.”

Jester looked up as the spell completed and grinned. “Beau!”

Beau smiled slightly even though it hurt. This little blue tiefling always managed to bring a smile to her face. “Hey, Jes.”

Suddenly, Jester gasped and rushed over, moving Beau’s hair out of her face. “What happened? Oh, Beau, does it hurt terribly?”

“It’s not so bad. Just from training. Could you help me out?”

“For sure, for sure, of course. Come sit. I’m basically a professional now, Mr. Clay lets me handle severed limbs, did you see?”

Beau looked over at the gardener, who was staring forlornly at his hand. “Jester, that man’s finger is backwards.”

Jester spun around and grabbed the hand, pulling it up to her face. “I told you to hold it straight! Now we have to cut it back off and do it again.”

The man’s eyes widened. “N-No! No, this is fine! Please, I can-”

A large pink and gray firbolg stepped out of the backroom and gave the gardener a calm smile. “Relax,” he said. “I’ll take care of you now.” With a wiggle of his fingers he cast Calm Emotions and the gardener relaxed heavily into his chair. “Jester, you should make sure it’s on correctly before you begin the spell. I’ll finish with this, tend to young Beauregard, please?”

Jester nodded and led Beau over to another chair. She took a wet rag and started wiping away the blood from around the wounds. “Did I tell you what Fjord did yesterday?”

Beau winced as the rag scratched abrasively against the side of her nose. “I don’t think so. We didn’t get to talk much after you did my hair. Thank you for that, by the way. It’s really me, don’t you think?”

“I love it, it looks so cool and dangerous, like you’re a heroine from romantic action novel trying to save the kingdom and get the girl. Just let me know when you need me to shave it down again.”

“I wouldn’t trust it to anyone else. So, tell me what Fjord did.”

Jester started describing how Fjord, a fisherman down at the docks who she talks to when she makes supply runs, had fish guts all over his shirt and so he took it off right in front of her and Beau started letting her mind drift a little, relaxing from the feeling of kind hands against her skin. She barely noticed when Jester started calling her name. “Beau? Beau?”

Beau startled and snapped her eye open. “Hmm? What, I was listening.”

Jester frowned and ran her pointer finger lightly over the swell of Beau’s eye. “Was the person you were sparring with wearing a ring? That’s very dangerous, you should tell them to take it off. Two inches lower and you would have lost an eye.”

“What do you mean? What ring?”

“There’s an indent here where they hit you with it. It looks like… the lion from your crest.”

Beau cleared her throat. “Yes, now that I think about it, they were wearing a ring. I’ll make sure they take it off next time. Thanks.”

Jester frowned but nodded. “Okay, okay, okay. Almost done cleaning and then I can start the spell. Just another minute. Oh, have I told you about the last chapter of Tusk Love? Oskar was so very brave but then the evil Governor betrayed him! Oh, I can’t wait to go home and start the next chapter.”

Beau glanced up as Jester started her spell, still talking about Tusk Love, and caught Caduceus’ eyes as he finished up with the gardener. He watched her knowingly and gave her a nod to let her know that if she ever needed him, he’d be there for her. She appreciated it more than she could say, so she didn’t say anything and just looked away.


	2. Chapter 2

It was nearly dinner time again when Beau realized that she hadn’t seen hide or tail of her suitor all day. Usually, if she hadn’t run them off on the first night, her suitors would follow her around the mansion the entire second day. But she hadn’t seen Caleb at all and she was gonna need to work fast if she was going to keep her mother from getting her hopes up. Last time one of the guys lasted passed his second dinner she was halfway through the wedding invites when he stomped out of the house, wet and shoeless, an hour later. “Have you seen our guest?” Beau asked one of the butlers, Bradley, as he moped the floors in the Front Hall.

“Mr. Widogast? He’s been in the library all day.”

Beau frowned, suspiciously. “Thanks,” she mumbled as she started towards the stairs. He’d been going to the library when she passed him in the hall last night as well. If he was trying to woo her he was doing a dreadful job of it. She pushed open the library door and peeked in. It was a very large space, two stories. The entrance was here on the second floor but there were shelves on the ground floor as well with ladders to get down to those. The room was rectangular with a skylight that took up the entire ceiling. She didn’t see Caleb straight away, so she stepped silently inside. The door closed with a click behind her and she crept forward to the railing, peering over into the first level to find her suitor sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and a circle of books around him. She rolled her eyes and huffed as she threw herself over the railing, landing easily on the ground on both feet.

Caleb exclaimed in surprise and threw his book at her. It smacked her in the face and then landed, open, in her palm. She scowled at him. “What the fuck, man?”

“ _ Ja _ , you just fell from the sky, if anyone should be saying ’what the fuck’ it’s me!”

She glared at him and then looked down at the open book in her hand. “The Calamity?” she asked, flipping to the next page. “What are you looking for? And all these books…”

He snatched the book from her hand. “I was just trying to get some reading done before the day’s events started, it's nothing special.”

“Dude, it’s nearly dinner time. You missed all the day’s events.” 

He didn’t seem particularly upset at that. “Ah, well we will just have to try again tomorrow,  _ ja _ ?  _ Auf Wiedersehen _ .”

Beau looked at all the books around him. They were all related to old, forgotten magic. “Are you marrying me just for my library?” His mouth catfished a bit, opening and closing several times with no sound coming out as he tried to defend himself. She smirked. “You are. You’re looking for something, aren’t you? Tell me.”

“I,  _ nein _ , I have no idea what you’re talking about, I’m honestly very… attracted to you. You’re  _ sehr hübsch _ , very pretty.”

Beau rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure, that’s  _ very _ convincing. Look man, I have read every single book in this library. Tell me what you’re looking for and maybe I can help you find it. Then you can leave and do whatever you want with it and I can get back to my favorite pastime, terrorizing suitors.”

Caleb met her eyes, his eyes hard instead of nervous like they had been. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Beau felt a cruel smirk slither across her face like a serpent and crouched down so that they were face to face. She leaned in close until he started to move away from her. “If you don’t tell me, I will not rest until you run from this house crying. I’ve been going easy on all these motherfuckers my mom has brought me, it’ll be nice to really test my skills.”

Caleb looked down at the books around him. None of them were the book he’d come here for but they were all helpful. It would take a week to read them all and another week to track down the book he was looking for on his own. But he looked up at her and glared into her eyes. “Bring it on.”

Beau tossed her head back and laughed. “Oh, this is going to be fun. I hope you enjoy tonight, Mr. Widogast, because it will be your last peaceful night in this house.” She turned and jumped at one of the shelves, pushing herself up and off of it and catching the railing of the second story. She effortlessly pulled herself up and over and left the library.

Caleb frowned as he looked back down at his book. “That was kind of impressive…” he admitted quietly to himself.

Georgina’s food was getting very cold in front of her as he stared at her daughter, her eyes occasionally flicking over to Mr. Widogast as they ate their dinners silently. Caleb had given no hints that he meant to leave and her daughter didn’t seem concerned by that at all. Could it be? Truly? Had her daughter fallen in love with this man?

“So,” she started. “How was your day? Did anything… interesting happen?”

Beauregard didn’t look at her and she smirked mischievously. “Oh yes, Mr. Widogast and I had a lovely conversation in the library. He’s decided to remain for a few more days at least.”

Georgina’s heart started to flutter. “Is-” she paused to clear her throat. “Is that so, Mr. Widogast?” Caleb quickly shoved two fork fulls of food into his open mouth to avoid talking and just nodded in response. “Well, that’s wonderful news. You’ll be here for the carnival.”

Beau froze with a fork midway up to her mouth and looked at her mother with a raised eyebrow. “Carnival?”

“Oh yes, it will be so romantic, you can both go together.”

“What carnival?”

“It’s the one they have every year in town, of course.”

Helena cleared her throat and stepped up behind Georgina’s chair. “Madam, if I may, you have forbidden Beauregard from leaving the grounds. She’s never been to town or the carnival.”

Georgina frowned and Caleb looked at Beau with wide eyes. “Oh, yes,” her mother mumbled. “That’s right. Well, I suppose I can make an exception since you’ll not be alone.”

“You’ve never left this house?” Caleb asked incredulously.

Beau kicked him hard under the table. “Of course I've left the house, you jackass. The estate is on 48 acres, I’ve explored every inch of it.” She started angrily eating until she’d finished her plate and moved to stand.

“ _ May you be excused _ ,” her mother chastised.

“I may,” Beau answered, stomping out of the room.

When Beau was gone the dining room fell into silence. Caleb cleared his throat. “Madam, if I may ask, why is Beau forbidden to leave the grounds?”

“Well, I have no doubt in mind that if she were able she’d run away and never return. That’s why there’s a spell around the perimeter that prevents her from leaving. She ran away once when she was six and got a far as the edge of the housing district before our guards managed to track her down. We hired a wizard right away to create the spell and it’s been active ever since.”

Caleb just nodded and turned his eyes down to stare at his plate, suddenly no longer hungry. He subtly started putting it in his pocket for Nott and then excused himself. As he walked up the stairs and towards his rooms, he heard a rythmic thumping coming from down the hall. Curious, he followed it until it led to Beauregard’s room. As he got closer, he could hear her muttering curses to herself. Clearing his throat, he rapped his knuckles lightly on the door. “Beauregard? Are you alright?”

“Fuck off!” He sighed and started to leave, when suddenly the door was torn open and she leaned out. “And don’t think that just because you feel sorry for me now I’m not still gonna make you run out of this house with your tail between your legs tomorrow.”

“I don’t feel sorry for-” he was cut off when she slammed the door shut again. He frowned but quickly reminded himself that helping her was not part of his mission. In the long run she didn’t matter, only his goals mattered. 

Nott was waiting for him when he got back to the room, frowning at him from the bed. “Was that her yelling at you in the hall? I can go fuck her up if you want.”

Caleb chuckled and shook his head. “Thank you, Nott, but no. I’d rather not deal with her more than necessary while we’re here. Our only concern is finding the book.”

Nott frowned but nodded. “What’s her problem, anyway? She pushed you yesterday, she yelled at you today. She lives in this mansion surrounded by the shiniest things I’ve ever stolen. What’s she gotta be so fucking mad about?”

Caleb thought for a moment as he changed into his leisure clothes for the evening. “A gilded prison is still a prison. Her circumstances are not so different from my own.”

Nott grew quiet. “Does she have a Trent?” she asked as they started towards the bedroom door.

“I suspect she may have two Trents.”

Nott went with Caleb to the library, then waited a few minutes until he got absorbed in his book. She scaled the shelves up to window and pushed it open, leaving it cracked when she made it out onto the roof. She moved across the clay tiles to what she figured was Caleb’s wife’s room, then dropped down onto the balcony. The balcony door was locked but it was easy to pick open. The door opened silently and she crept inside, surveying the room. It was nearly three times as big as the guest room that she and Caleb were in and separated into thirds, connected by archways and blocked by curtains. The section she entered was separated from the center by a sheer, glittery curtain and had a vanity covered in makeup and an inch of dust. There was an untouched bottle of perfume that Nott picked up delicately with her claws and brought to her nose. It was a pleasant, flowery scent that she found enjoyable and so she stuffed it into her pocket along with a golden necklace that was on a metal neck shaped display. There were beheaded dolls all over the floor, sun faded and flat with age, and she realized suddenly that this part of the room hadn’t been touched in more than a decade. She also stole the doll with the least damage and stuffed it into her pocket, pausing for a moment to admire the blue button eyes. 

She didn’t want to risk making a noise by pulling on the curtain, so she just lifted it from the bottom and crawled under it into the center of the suite. The first thing she noticed was a large king sized bed on a raised platform against the wall directly across from the door that lead into the hallway. This part of the room was mostly bare, save the clothes throw haphazardly on the floor and single solitary chair. There was a shape in the bed that suddenly let out a loud snort and rolled over onto her stomach, her hand hanging off the side.

Nott froze and waited until the figure started snoring again before creeping around to the third section, partitioned off with a dark blue curtain. She crawled under the curtain into what was apparently a training room. There were makeshift punching dummies and a clothing rack that had been reinforced and used as a pull up bar. There were several built-in drawers on the far wall and Nott realized she was standing in a closet. She turned around and crawled back out of the closet and as she got to her feet she realized several things in quick succession.

Realization 1: No snoring. She looked up at the bed.

Realization 2: The bed was empty. There was a faint whistling sound of something soaring quickly through the air.

Realization 3: A wooden staff hit her in the chest and knocked her back into the closet, tearing the curtain out of the doorway. She was tangled in the curtain and squirmed helplessly trying to escape.

“Don’t move.” The staff smacked down on her twice and she snarled angrily.

“Let me go! Let me go! I’m not going back to jail!”

The curtain was picked up like a sack and thrown onto a soft surface that must have been the bed. Part of it was pulled away to reveal her head and she found herself staring into the eyes of the woman who was giving Caleb so much trouble. “Where are the others?” she asked. “I know you fuckers never travel alone.”

Nott opened her mouth to start yelling but she realized that anything like that would just make more trouble for Caleb. “Nobody else!” she said quickly. “I’m here alone, yep just a lonesome little goblin, that’s me.

Beauregard frowned at the goblin but it didn’t seem hostile so she just crossed her arms. “What are you doing here then? Just stealing?”

“I- uh, I was kicked out of my clan.” It was true enough. “I’m just hungry. I was just looking for food.”

Beau frowned and reached into a side table drawer. “Don’t move,” she said again, when Nott leaned over to see what she was doing. She pulled out a plate covered by a rag and then ripped off the rag to reveal a pile of bacon. “It’s a little old now, it’s from yesterday morning, but I like to have food in here in case it’s not safe to leave my room.”

Nott wasn’t actually hungry, she’d finished Caleb’s pocket dinner, but that bacon still smelled so good. She hesitated, but took a few pieces off the top. She kept waiting for the woman to take it back but she didn’t and then Nott took a bite.

Beau started to move and Nott’s first thought was ‘Ha! I knew it, it was a trick,’ but instead of taking the bacon away she sat down on the bed beside her and started eating a piece of bacon herself. It was chewy but it was still bacon.

“What’d you take?” Beau asked. Nott started to lie but Beau stopped her with a glare. “I don't want it back. I’m just curious.”

Nott waited a moment, then reached into her pocket to pull out the perfume, doll, and necklace she’d taken, laying it out on the bed between them. “Uh, sorry.”

Beau snorted, amused, and picked up the doll. “It’s fine. I haven’t even thought about this shit in years.” She put the doll back in the pile and Nott hurriedly put them back in her pockets before Beau could change her mind.

“What did you mean,” Nott asked, a few pieces of bacon later. “About it not being safe to leave your room?”

Beau didn’t answer. “Finish your bacon and get out. Don’t come back.” She pulled the blanket up over her body and turned on the bed so that her back was to the goblin. Nott finished what she had and then took another handful to shove in her pocket, then she left back out through the balcony.

She walked back across the roof and dropped into the library, retaking her seat beside Caleb. He was still reading and didn’t seem to realize she’d been gone. “Good book?” she asked, leaning against his arm.

He reached over and pat her head. “ _ Ja _ , very informative. I’ll tell you about it when I finish. Are you getting hungry? Should I go down to the kitchens and find you a snack?”

“No, I’m good.” She pulled a piece of bacon out of her pocket and began munching on it. “You know,” she said a few moments later. “Maybe this Beau person isn’t so bad. Maybe you two could be friends.” Caleb didn’t answer, didn’t give any sign that he even heard her, just continued mouthing the words as he read. “Maybe we could all be friends.”


	3. Chapter 3

Caleb woke up to the sound a bird chirping outside his window and sunlight on his face. His best friend was sleeping beside him, curled into his chest like a cat and muttering quietly in her dreams. “Kill you…” she muttered quietly. “I’ll fucking kill you.” She was clutching a doll in her arms that he didn’t recognize but he didn’t think much of it.

Caleb smiled as he sat up and got dressed for the library. He felt refreshed this morning. Rejuvenated. Like nothing could go wrong. He walked down the hall to the library and climbed down the ladder into the first floor area. He walked over to the loose floorboard he’d stashed his books under and lifted it away, reaching his hand in and groping for them blindly.

Nothing.

He frowned and reached back farther.

Still nothing.

“Lose something Widogast?”

He turned and looked up to find Beau smirking at him from over the railing. “Beauregard! Where are my books?”

“Your books? I seem to remember that they’re from my library, doesn’t that make them my books? And can’t I do whatever I like with my books? But you know, I’m in a good mood this morning. Tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll give them back.”

“You think I’m going to cave just from this?”

“I certainly hope not.” She turned and left.

Caleb groaned in annoyance. “I knew I should have taken Locate Object instead of Comprehend Languages.” He climbed back up the ladder and rushed back to the guest room. Nott was still asleep, she had stretched out like a sea star on her back. He shook her gently. “Nott,” he whispered. “Nott, I need your help.”

Nott snorted and woke up, squinting up at him. “Huh?”

“Do you know where Beauregard’s room is?”

Nott’s eyes widened and she sat up. “Wh-Why do you ask?”

Luckily, Caleb didn’t seem to notice her nervousness. “Do you think you could climb into her room through a window or something and try to find the books she took from me?”

“Is she in there?” She told Nott to not come back. She was nice last night but Nott wasn’t sure what she’d do if she caught her again.

“I don’t know. I can go knock on the door and keep her busy if she is.”

Nott swallowed a lump in her throat but nodded. “Yeah. For you, anything.”

Caleb smiled and kissed her forehead. “Thank you,  _ liebling _ .” Caleb turned and started for the door and Nott moved to follow, but she darted under the bed when the door opened and there was someone outside of it.

Caleb cried out in surprise and nearly stumbled back but caught himself on the door. He’d been so single minded he hadn’t thought to check for people first. He looked around the room to make sure that Nott was out of sight before turning to address the blue tiefling who stood on the other side of the door with a kind smile.

“Hi!” she said.

“Ahhh,  _ hallo _ . Can I help you?”

“I was given strict orders to follow you around all day. My name is Jester, what’s your name?”

“C-Caleb. Caleb Widogast.”

Jester held out her hand for him to shake and he just stared at it awkwardly. “Nice to meet you… Caleb,” she said, shaking her empty hand. 

Caleb looked over his shoulder to see that the window was cracked open just enough for a little goblin girl to squeeze through. She was out. Caleb cleared his throat and turned back to Jester. “Do you know where Beau is?”

The tiefling shook her head. “Nope. Not a clue.”

He started shuffling around her and out of the doorway. “Excuse me, thank you,” he muttered before running off to Beau’s bedroom door. He rapped his knuckles frantically against her door. “Beauregard? Beauregard, are you in there?” He reached for the door and jiggled the handle but found it locked. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked up as the tiefling skipped after him. “Do you know where she’s hidden my books?”

Jester shook her head. “Nope, nope.”

“She didn’t give you any clue whatsoever?”

“She did tell me to keep you out of the boiler room.”

Caleb’s eyes widened. “Boiler room!” he hurried down the stairs and suddenly realized he had no idea where the boiler room was. Jester continued following him, skipping along without a care in the world. “Where is the boiler room?”

“In the first floor of the western wing, at the end of the hall. I’m not going in there with you, by the way, it’s so fuckin’ hot in there.”

Caleb ignored the second part and started off towards to boiler room. The second he opened the door he could feel the all consuming heat in the air of that room. He pulled off his coat and handed it to Jester who grinned and pulled it over her own shoulders. “Don’t-” he sighed and decided not to argue with her. 

“It’s so dirty,” she marvelled, shaking her entire body to shake off the layer of dirt. The dirt gathered at her feet and she laughed.

Caleb sighed and started down the stairs. The heat grew more dense as he got farther down into the stone room. The boilers were working over time across on the other wall and the sweltering heat felt like a physical force pressing against his skin. Sweat started dripping down his face and into his eyes and gathering in pools under his arms and in the backs of his knees. He fought through the pressing heat and started searching around on the floor and behind objects. After a few minutes the air started getting difficult to breathe and he was swimming in sweat as he walked back up the stairs.

He huffed and puffed as he met with Jester back at the top and shut the door and heat behind him. “They’re not in there.”

“Oh, I know,” Jester said, grinning. “She didn’t actually say anything ‘bout the boiler room.”

“You… tricked me?”

“Yep, yep. Wasn’t it funny?”

Caleb tugged on his coat until she let it slip down her arms. “No,” he said, wiping sweat off his brow with his sleeve. “No, Jester, that wasn’t funny.”

She shrugged. “I thought it was funny. Look, you’re all sweaty and uncomfortable now.”

“Yes, thank you, I realize that.”

Nott retraced her steps from the night before, climbing up to the roof and moving silently over the clay tiles to a balcony on the other side. She dropped down to the balcony and pushed open the door into the bedroom. It was unlocked, Beau must not have locked it back after Nott left last night. She peeked inside and saw no one right away, so she slipped through the door. “Books, books, books,” she mumbled, glancing around briefly and seeing nothing right away. She’d come back to this section of the suite for a closer look through later.

She picked up the end of the red curtain and slipped under it, into the main room. She headed instantly for the bed, only to freeze in her tracks when an unfamiliar voice screeched. “GOBLIN!”

Nott looked up and met the eyes of a older woman in a fluffy, luxurious bathrobe and layer of white cream over her face. Her brown hair was up in curlers and her facial features were  _ just _ similar enough to someone she’d met for her to realize who this person was. 

This was Beau’s mother.

She’d broken into the wrong room.

The woman screeched again and ran for the door of her room and out into the hall, screaming all the way. Nott started back towards the balcony to escape, before she decided instead to run into the closet. She looked through the immaculately organized clothes for just a moment before finding what her heart (read, sticky fingers) desired. She pulled a second fluffy pink robe off the hanger and balled it up in her hands, then she turned and headed towards the balcony.

Before she was even halfway through the room, three guards ran in with their swords drawn and pointing at her. “Halt!” the one in front yelled as the other two swarmed her, trying to grab her.

She effortlessly avoided them, hopping up to dodge the first and ducking under the second’s legs. With nowhere else to go and the guards untangling themselves behind her, she darted out into the hallway. Before she could get her bearings and decide where to hide, two arms wrapped around her and pulled her into one of the rooms.

“No!” she grunted, struggling against the hold. “Let me go!”

“Shut up,” hissed a voice in her ear. “I’m doing you a fucking favor, the least you can do is not screw it up.” Beau carried her over the bed and shoved her under it. “There’s a hole in the bottom of the mattress, climb up inside it and wait there until I give the all clear.”

Nott had to search around for a moment to find the aforementioned hole, as it was cleverly hidden, but just when she’d managed to get herself secured inside, the door to the bedroom opened with a bang.

“Excuse the intrusion, young mistress, we’re hunting down a goblin that has somehow invaded the estate,” said one of the guards. Nott could hear the  _ clang, clank _ of the metal armor as they moved around the room.

“I was just working out, do what you gotta do,” she said. Nott heard her push aside the curtain to the training closet and begin to do pull ups and Nott found herself biting her claw and thinking ‘no, don’t leave me alone in here’. There were footsteps coming for the bed and she started looking around for something to defend herself with. 

This part of the mattress was actually fairly hollow, with just enough fluff secured up above her with tape to keep the empty section from being obvious from the outside. There were several things shoved in there with her, sacks of money that Nott was careful not to jostle, a half empty jar of peanut butter, and an unopened bear of honey caught her eye right away. Not great weapons, but Nott shoved the honey into her pocket anyway. Behind the honey and revealed when she moved it, a silvered dagger with intricate carvings of the Lionett family crest along the hilt. Nott picked it up and held it tightly as she heard the man’s knee guards clatter on the floor as he bent down to peer under the bed.

For a few seconds, she didn’t breathe, she didn’t flinch, she didn’t think.

Then he got up and moved on. Shortly after that, the man who had yelled at her in Beau’s mom’s room spoke up. “I don’t think it came in here. Sorry to disturb you, young miss.”

“Yeah, yeah, just get out.”

The door shut and she heard Beau’s quiet footsteps start moving towards the bed, then the door was suddenly thrown open once more. Nott squeaked and held the dagger tightly.

“I heard there was a goblin sighted?” Caleb? That’s Caleb!

Nott started moving to leave her hiding spot when she heard Beau marching towards the door. “Get the fuck out of my room, Widogast, or I’ll feed you your own asshole!” The door was slammed shut for a second time and the world finally went quiet around her. Beau walked back towards the bed and she knocked on the mattress above Nott’s head. “Alright, it’s clear. Get the fuck out of there. And if you’ve taken anything I have in there I’m gonna kill you.”

Nott was sure that someone who just went through so much trouble to save her wouldn’t actually kill her, but she put the honey back just in case. She climbed down out of the hole and then out from under the bed, looking up to meet Beau’s frown. “What do you have all that stuff in there for anyway?” she asked, turning out her pockets so that Beau could see that they were empty. The only stolen thing she had was the robe, still held tightly in her arm. She really hoped that Beau wasn’t going to make her give that up.

“It’s my stash. I keep any food with longer shelf lives in there and the money I’m saving for when I finally escape.”

“What about the dagger?”

She scowled, but it was more like a general scowl and not one directed at Nott so she didn’t feel threatened. “I used to keep one under my pillow, but my dad found that when he came in and searched my room a couple years ago. I feel better having a weapon but it’s better I keep it where he can’t find it even if it is harder to get to. Hey, don’t change the subject! What the fuck were you thinking, climbing into my mom’s room?”

“I was looking for your room, I must have counted the balconies wrong.”

Beau paused and raised an eyebrow. “What did you want in here for? More bacon?”

“Ah, no. I actually wanted to thank you for last night. Most people would have done a lot worse to me. Most people  _ have _ done a lot worse to me.”

“Yeah, well, people suck. I suck too, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m a bitch, so don’t get comfortable.”

“Well, thank you anyway.” They were both quiet for a few moments before Nott cleared her throat. “I wouldn’t say no to some bacon though, if you still had some.”

Beau grinned and started towards the side table. “This batch is fresh, straight from the kitchen this morning.” While Beau fetched the plate of bacon, Nott unraveled the robe in her arms and pulled it on over her shoulders, smiling as she felt the softness envelop her. She had never worn anything this luxurious. Beau chuckled when she saw her. “You like that, huh? Never knew goblins had a liking for soft things.”

“They don’t. Most goblins think that if it doesn’t give you a rash it’s not worth wearing. I’m not most goblins.”

When the search for her had moved onto the other wings and Nott was satisfactorily full of bacon, Nott climbed back up the to the roof from Beau’s balcony, taking note of exactly how many balconies were on this side of the mansion and where Beau’s was in relation, Nott walked across the roof back to Caleb’s room. She was about to climb back through the still open window but paused when she heard voices from inside.

“Jester, please, can you just give me a few minutes alone to change?”

“I was given strict orders to watch you all day.”

“Yes, but it’s your fault I have to change, you tricked me into going into the boiler room in the first place.”

A giggle. “Yeah, that’s still funny.”

Nott peeked into the room and saw Caleb speaking with the tiefling from earlier who had her back turned to the window. Nott tapped her claw gently against the glass and Caleb looked over. His entire body sagged with relief when he saw her. “Jester, just give me two minutes, please. If I’m not out of the room in exactly two minutes you can bust the door down.”

“That does sound fun. Okay! One cranberry pie, two cranberry pie, three cran-” The door slammed shut with her on the other side.

“Nott!” Caleb exclaimed throwing open the window the rest of the way and pulling her inside. “Are you alright? I was so worried! I’m sorry I convinced you to go to Beau’s room, you were almost caught and it’s all my fault.”

Nott climbed up onto the bed. “It’s not your fault, I went into the wrong room, Beau’s mom’s room. It was my mistake. Caleb, I promise, this was definitely not your fault.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but paused when he realized what she was wearing. “Is that a robe?”

Nott grinned and stood up. Even standing, the robe dragged the floor when she walked. “Yeah. It’s so soft. Can I keep it?”

The wizard sighed. “I suppose. Isn’t stealing clothes how you got caught when we met? You kept dropping them and it left a trail directly to your hiding place.”

“Yeah, but this is only one clothes. And you broke me out of the Academy dungeon anyway, it turned out pretty good.”

Caleb let out a small, reluctant smile. “Yes, I suppose it did all work out in the end. But still, just be careful. Did you happen to find my books?”

Nott shook her head. “I found Beau’s hiding spot but they weren’t there.”

“Hiding spot? Where?”

Nott opened her mouth to speak, but then realized she probably shouldn’t. Beau said that was her stash, that had everything she needed to survive in the house until she was free. She wouldn’t want Caleb to know. “Just in her closet. One of the drawers has a false bottom.”

Caleb seemed satisfied and frowned. “Then where could they be? If I were Beauregard, where would I hide books?” Suddenly, his eyes widened in realization. “Oh, I’m such an  _ Dummkopf _ !” He started heading towards the door, stripping off his shirt and pulling on a dry sweater. “Nott, stay in here. I’ll be right back.”

Nott laid down on the bed and pulled the hood of the robe up over her head, grinning. “I’m fine here. Good luck!”

Jester was still counting outside the door as he stepped out. “One hundred seventeen cranberry pie, one hundred eight- oh! Just in time! Where to next?”

“The library.” He moved swiftly passed her and jogged down the hall to the library. “Where is the best place to hide a book?”

Jester frowned thoughtfully. “I don’t know. I assume you think it’s the library, since that’s where we’re going.”

“Yes,” he said. He threw open the doors of the library and started scanning the shelves. “A… B… C…” he continued around the shelves until he got to the section prominently labeled ‘Fo-Fu’. Down at the bottom of the shelf he found one of his seven books mixed among the ‘Fu’s. He pulled it off the shelf and sighed. “Found one.”

A slow clapping started up behind him and he jumped, startled. “Bravo, Mr. Widogast,” Beau said, walking up to him and clapping sarcastically. “Thanks Jes, did you have fun annoying him like I asked?”

“Oh, yeah, we went to the boiler room, then I asked him a whole bunch of magic questions about hamster unicorns and his whole face turned red, and then we ran around looking for goblins, it was, like, the best morning ever.”

Beau grinned and snatched the book from Caleb’s hands. “So, you found one of seven, the others aren't so easy. You ready to make that deal yet? You’re never going to find what you’re looking for without my help.”

Caleb reached for the book but she held it out of his reach. He glared at her and reached for it again, getting closer. She pressed her hand against his face and pushed him back, holding the book out above her head. “Give it to me! I found it!”

“There are no rules for this, Caleb. You don’t win just because you won. This is about making you leave, by any means necessary.”

“You don’t want me to leave,” he argued, still reaching for the book even though he couldn't fight against her arm.

Beau snorted in disdain. “What makes you say that?”

“Because if I leave you are never going to get out of here. If I leave, your mother won’t let you go to the carnival.”

The realization that crossed Beau’s face would have been satisfying if it wasn’t immediately replaced by sadness. Caleb hadn’t known that she was capable of looking so… heartbroken. She cleared her throat and shook her head and the despair was gone, replaced by rage. She let him go and since he was still reaching for the book, he was off balance and toppled to the ground. She let the book drop into his lap and marched away from him without another word.

The door to the library opened and a butler walked in. “Breakfast is served,” he said. Beau shoved passed him angrily and he looked concerned for a moment before looking at Caleb. “Ah, Mr. Widogast, I was asked to inform you that you are expected at breakfast this morning. Sir Lionett will be in attendance and he wishes to meet you.”


	4. Chapter 4

Georgina Lionett was checking her teeth in a mirror when Caleb walked into the Grand Hall. She was wearing the nicest dress he’d seen so far like she was dressing for a special occasion. Caleb felt underdressed and this was the best suit he owned. He cleared his throat and she jumped, spinning around. “Ah, Mr. Widogast! Please, take a seat, my husband will be down here in a few moments. “ She scurried over to her own chair and just stood beside it, not moving to seat herself.

“You look lovely this morning, Madam,” he said awkwardly taking a seat. 

She blushed and fixed a loose strand of hair. “Thank you, sir. My husband doesn’t come to eat with us often, everything needs to be perfect.”

“Where is Beauregard?”

“She’s been told that she is not allowed to join us unless she comes properly dressed. She told me that she didn’t have any dresses and sure enough, there was nothing suitable in her closet. I don’t know what she did with them, I suspect ritual burning.”

He looked back at Jester, who was determined to actually follow him around all day and she was biting her lip to suppress a grin. ‘You know?’ he mouthed at her silently.

She grinned and nodded. ‘I took them to town for her.’

‘To burn?’

Then she either said ‘To donate’ or ‘To prostate’. He figured it was probably the first one based on the context of the conversation.

Georgina seemed to suddenly realize that Jester was there and frowned. “Are you feeling ill, Mr. Widogast?”

“Ah, no! No, I’m perfectly fine. Jester kindly offered to show me around after I got lost and she found me wandering the halls.” Georgina opened her mouth to speak but Caleb didn’t want her to push on this topic. He cleared his throat. “I heard you were attacked this morning?”

The woman gasped dramatically. “Oh, it was terrifying. Somehow a goblin found its way to my room. It was crazed, coming right for me. I’m still a bit shaken. And the worst part is that it hasn’t been found yet. It could still be in this house somewhere, can you imagine?” She shuddered. “It probably has rabies, the beast.”

Yeah, this was perhaps a bad subject to change to. Caleb gripped his fork tightly in his fist. The food hadn’t been brought out yet, but if he didn’t hold something he wasn’t sure what his hand would be doing right now. He took a deep breath and turned back to look at Jester. She got the message and scurried over. “Is that any chance you had a dress Beauregard could borrow? I can’t be alone with her mother for much longer.”

Jester frowned. “I could probably find one she could wear, but I think finding one she  _ would _ wear is entirely a different story probably.”

“Do you have a skort?”

“A what?”

“A skirt with shorts under it.”

“Oh yeah! I have the perfect thing! Oh, she’s gonna love it!”

Caleb highly doubted that but he let Jester leave the dining room. The room fell into silence and Caleb started fidgeting with his fork, tapping it lightly against the table. “So, Mr. Widogast,” Georgina started. “Tell me about yourself. We haven’t gotten much chance to speak one on one. How are you and my daughter getting along?”

“Swimmingly, Madam,” he said. “This morning she organized a quick scavenger hunt for me that was… so fun.”

The woman raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Really? That doesn’t sound like my daughter. You must bring out the best in her.” She seemed like she was about to continue but the main doors to the hall opened and the Caleb could have sworn that the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Georgina, still standing, turned and smiled widely at the man. “Eston! Dear, this is the man I told you about. Caleb Widogast, meet my husband, Sir Eston Theodore Lionett.”

Caleb moved to stand as Eston got close and when he shook his hand Eston squeezed. It was hard to tell if the squeeze was meant as a threat or just an honest ignorance of his own strength. “Caleb. Good to meet you. I’ve heard wonderful things about you from Professor Ikethon.”

Caleb cleared his throat, subtly shaking out his fingers when Eston dropped his hand and continued passed him towards the head of the table. “And I’ve heard wonderful things about you from your wife.” And seen the horrible things you’ve done to your daughter, but he didn’t say that part out loud. He took his seat again as Georgina finally took her own.

“Where is Beauregard?” Eston asked, waving at the servants to start bringing out the food.

Caleb spoke up quickly before Georgina could start complaining. “She couldn't decide on a dress. She’ll be down shortly.”

Eston seemed satisfied with the answer and dropped the subject as a plate stacked high with food was set in front of him. “Good. Good, I want to hear all about this whirlwind romance between the two of you.”

Caleb choked on his words and leaned into his elbow to cough. “Wh-Whirlwind romance?”

“Yes, Georgina said she’s scheduled the wedding for a month from now, that’s a bit soon.”

“Well, I just thought that these two love birds would like to be married as soon as possible,” Georgina said without a hint of irony. “Does that sound good for you and your family Caleb?”

“Ah, my family is dead.” He mentally kicked himself when they both froze and turned to stare at him in unison.

“Oh, that’s so sad,” Georgina said. “So, will you not be needing a table at the reception? Because if not I’m going to need to replan my table orientation.”

“No,” Caleb said, clearing his throat. “No, I will not be needing a table. Thank you.”

She turned back to her meal and continued eating but Eston was still watching him. “Do you mind if I ask how they died, son?”

Caleb decided to put the ‘son’ on the back burner of concerns for right now and focus on the most pressing one. He could freak about about the rest of this interaction after it was over. “Fire. Arson, while I was at the Academy. We’re not sure who did it.” That was the official story at least.

Suddenly, the door behind him was thrown open and he turned around, hopeful. Could it be? Was he saved? He never thought that he’d be happy to see Beau marching into a room like she was marching into a battle but right now he needed her. The more time he spent with the people who raised her, the more he understood her issues. She wasn’t wearing a dress exactly, but it was elegant and covered her midriff so hopefully Georgina wouldn’t mind too much. It was a silver jumpsuit, the legs long enough to drape around her feet which were certainly not in high heels and wide enough that if she were to stand up straight with her legs together it would look like a dress, not that there was any chance of that happening. It was cinched at the waist, sleeveless, and low cut, the point of the collar starting just below her sternum and coming up loose around her shoulders to drape elegantly down her back. Her hair was pulled over one shoulder and braided intricately with beads and ribbons. She was wearing a band around her chest and she wasn’t wearing shoes, so he was pretty sure that this person was actually Beau and not a very well done fake.

“Beauregard,” Georgina said, dropping her fork so that it clanged against her plate. “Where did you get that?”

She shrugged and moved around the table to her chair. “Just something I had in the back of my closet. Something wrong, Mother?”

Georgina shook her head. “No, it’s acceptable. Have a seat.”

Beau did so and coughed into her fist, shifting uncomfortably. “You alright?” Caleb asked quietly.

“This fancy fabric chafes,” she muttered. 

“Where did you actually get that?”

“Jester. It’s her mom’s.”

That just gave him more questions than it answered but there would be time for that later. “Beauregard, you look very handsome today,” he said, loud enough for her parents to hear.

Her nose scrunched. “Ew, don’t say it like that.” Georgina cleared her throat pointedly and glared at her, causing Beau to roll her eyes. “You look nice too. Your tie doesn’t match the drapes though, you should work on that.”

Eston spoke up before she could say anything else. “We were just discussing the wedding, actually.”

Beau shoved a spoonful of breakfast potatoes in her mouth. “What wedding?” she asked through food.

“Your wedding, dear,” Georgina siad. She was scowling at her daughter’s manners but must have decided to pick her battles more carefully. This was not the hill she wanted to die on.

“Sweet, who am I marrying?”

“Don’t be obtuse,” Eston sneered. He looked frighteningly like his daughter when he did that.

She shrugged and grinned like she had no care in the world. “Just being myself, Father. Maybe an obtuse person shouldn’t be getting married to someone she met two days ago?”

Her parents started tag teaming. “This behavior is going to scare Mr. Widogast away.”

“Do you want him to leave?”

“Do you want to be alone for the rest of your life?”

“Do you want to be a disappointment?”

“Do you want to be a laughingstock?”

“Do you want to be a failure?”

“Yes,” Beau said suddenly. “Yes, I want all of those things. I want to be a lonely, happy failure.”

Georgina waved her hand dismissively. “Being happy is vastly overrated, darling.”

Beau scratched at the back of her neck and shifted awkwardly in her jumpsuit but didn’t say anything more for now. Aftera few silent minutes, Eston spoke up. “Caleb, what was it that you were saying before Beauregard interrupted?”

“About my dead parents?”

“Would we have known them? I don’t believe Widogast is a name I’m familiar with.”

“Ah, no. No, we were poor. The Academy gave me a chance to better myself and I believe I have done quite well since then.” He hoped his answer didn’t sound as stilted and rehearsed as it felt. Beau was giving him a weird look so maybe she didn’t believe him but Eston and Georgina seemed none the wiser. “I suspect that the wealthy people of this empire will be hearing the name Widogast quite frequently as the years go on.”

Eston chuckled. “Yes, I like your spirit. We need more go-getters like you. My daughter could learn a thing or two from you.” Beau scowled down at her eggs but didn’t say anything. Caleb let out a breath of relief and tried to meet Beau’s eyes across the table but she was purposefully ignoring him by taking a large drink from her cup. “So, how many children will you two be having?”

Beau spit her water across the table and Caleb cringed when he felt droplets hit his face. Beau swiped the back of her hand across her mouth. “None! What the fuck, what kind of question is that?”

Eston got to his feet in a fluid motion and slammed his hands open palmed on the table. “You will not speak to me that way. And I wasn’t talking to you, anyway. Don’t speak unless spoken to, Beauregard. Someone clean up that mess.” As a servant ran over to start wiping up the table, Eston turned back to Caleb. “Ignore her. How many children will you be having?”

“Uhhhhhhhhhh…” Caleb wiped his face off with his sleeve. “ I believe that is a question for your daughter.”

Beau snorted in surprised amusement and gave him a bewildered look but didn’t respond. Eston frowned. “Well, I am perhaps beginning to understand what my daughter sees in you. You have a bit of a rebellious streak too?”

“I wouldn’t say that, Sir, I just believe that Beauregard is in charge of that particular decision.”

Eston leaned back in his chair and smirked. “You’re teasing me. That was a good one.”

Caleb opened his mouth to contradict him but paused when he felt Beau tapping his knee with her foot to get his attention. He looked over at her and she shook her head. “He won’t understand. I think he’s purposely misunderstanding.”

Caleb sighed. “Three, Sir. We’ll be having three children.”

Eston nodded. “Three. Good number. I was the eldest of three, you know.”

Georgina sighed. “We wanted more children, after Beauregard and her brother, but for some reason they just never took.”

Caleb blinked and tried to catch Beau’s eyes but she was staring down at her plate. “Brother?”

“Yes, Beauregard’s twin, Eston Junior. Unfortunately he passed away when they were six. He was the eldest, he would have been the heir had things been different.”

“Yes,” Eston Senior muttered. “Shame, that.”

“Can we not talk about EJ at the table please,” Beau interrupted. “My dead brother is not exactly the best conversation to have over food, thanks.”

Before Eston could start up another lecture, Caleb changed the subject. “Yes, actually, Sir Lionett. Why don’t you tell me about your work?”

The older man’s face brightened. “I’m a winemaker. Well, I own the winemaking company, I haven’t actually made any wine by my hand since long before I was married. My family growing up was not very well off, we were fine, but I don’t think my parents ever dreamed their son would rise this high. I’ll be sure to get you a good year to go with dinner tonight. It will be the most superb wine you’ve ever tasted. We’re sending out a new shipment in two weeks, I’ll be sure to get you a bottle from that batch before it heads out.”

“I believe you, Sir. I can’t wait.”

Eston started getting into more details of the business but Caleb mostly tuned him out, choosing instead to look at Beau as she started jotting numbers down on a piece of paper that was half hidden under her plate. The only part he could make out was ‘New shipment, two weeks’ then the young woman shoved the paper back under the plate and resumed eating.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Edit*  
> LPuffin pointed out a plot hole in this chapter, I've edited it and it should be fixed now. Thank you for your help!

Caleb was relaxing on his bed after the hectic and action packed morning he’d had. Nott was still wearing her new robe but now she was pretending it was a coat and she was jumping around the room pretending to be a pirate. He was halfway through the book he’d won back from Beau and the sun was setting outside his window, when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Frowning, he exchanged a look with Nott as she crawled under the bed and he got up to answer it. When he pulled open the door, there was no one waiting on the other side. He leaned out of the doorway slightly to look around but paused and looked down when his foot tapped something.

A book.

One of the ones Beau had hidden from him. 

He picked it up and a paper note fell out of it. He managed to grab it out of the air before it drifted back to the ground.

‘Thanks’ it said, in nearly perfect handwriting. He flipped it around in his fingers to read the back. ‘P.S. You’ve still got to find the other ones, don’t think this gets you off the hook.’

Caleb walked back into the room and pulled out his notebook. Instead of getting back reading his book he started jotting down ideas for places Beau could have hidden the other books. He had a feeling that things in this house wouldn’t be so calm for long. He needed to find them and the book he’d come here for before _der_ _Dreck_ finally hit the fan.

_ “Beauregard?” called a voice, full of rage. “Beauregard, get back here! We’re not finished!” _

_ Beau sobbed and reached up to press her hand over her eye as it throbbed in pain beneath her fingers. She heard footsteps coming in her direction, crunching in the fallen autumn leaves, and started to run as fast as her little feet would take her. She kept running even when her vision started to blur from tears. She ran and ran until her bare feet hit cobblestone and she crashed into something hard and wooden, falling down on her butt. _

_ “Hey watch where you’re going, kid,” someone said. A horse whinnied nearby. _

_ She hurriedly wiped at her eyes until they cleared enough for her to see that she had crashed into the side of a horse drawn carriage. Before she could move or say anything, the door to the enclosed carriage opened and a tall, red skinned tiefling woman in a beautiful gown stepped out. _

_ “Oh, you poor dear,” she said, bending down to Beau’s level. “Were you injured by the carriage?” She reached out and ran her fingers against the growing swelling on Beau’s brow bone. Beau shook her head but couldn’t get any words out over the sobs. “Did someone hit you?” She nodded and felt her nose start to run. The woman frowned and reached out to wipe away the blood under her nose with her sleeve. Her mother would never ruin one of her dresses by doing something like that. “Come along, dear. My name is Marion, I’ll help you if you like.” _

_ Beau hesitated but nodded and let herself be pulled to her feet. “Beau.” _

_ “That’s a lovely name. Jamison, take a detour to Clay’s Clerics, if you would.” _

_ The driver seemed unsure but nodded. “Yes, Madam.” _

_ Beau let the red woman lift her into the carriage and was surprised to find another child inside. A blue tiefling about her age, maybe a bit younger. The girl grinned when she saw her. “Hi there! My name is Jester, what’s your name?” _

_ Beau glanced back at Marion who smiled and gestured for her to climb up onto the same seat as the blue girl who was clearly her daughter. When she did, Marion shut the carriage door and sat down across from them. _

_ “I… I’m Beau.” _

_ Jester grinned and clasped their hands together. “Nice to meet you, Beau! We’re going to be the very, very best of friends, okay?” _

_ Beau didn’t believe her, but she nodded anyway.  _

Beau wasn’t at dinner that night. Luckily, neither was Eston. Which left Caleb alone with Georgina the entire time. Luckily, she was still pretty pissed off about how breakfast had gone so she ranted the entire time and Caleb was able to tune her out. After a while it became sort of like white noise and even made him feel a little sleepy. He bid her good night and when he went back up to his room he drifted into slumber quicker than he could remember. Hopefully, tomorrow would be better.

It got off to a bad start when he was woken by a knock on the door. When he glanced at the window he saw that the sky was the familiar purple-pink of sunrise and groaned, pushing himself out of bed. He pulled the covers up over Nott’s body as she continued to sleep and walked over to answer to door. A butler was standing on the other side, mid-yawn. 

“Beggin your pardon, sir, I’ve been sent to inform you that the young mistress wants to leave for the carnival in an hour. Breakfast is being packed to be had on the road and your presence is expected.” Then he turned around the left, sighing and relaxing his his shoulders when he thought Caleb wasn’t looking.

Caleb frowned and walked back into the room, resigned to his fate as he started to get dressed. He wore his more casual clothes and his favorite dirty coat since he was going to be walking around all day and then gently shook his goblin friend awake. “Nott,” he said.

She hummed tiredly and rolled over to look at him. “Wha-?” she asked.

“I’m leaving for the carnival with Beauregard. Stay in here today, alright, we’ll go to the library when I get back.”

She frowned and sat up. “Can I come to the carnival with you?”

“I don’t think that’s the best idea, Beau will likely be pulling some shenanigans in order to escape her parents and I don’t want you caught in the crossfire.”

She looked concerned but nodded. “If that’s what you think is best, Caleb.”

“It is. Thank you,  _ liebling _ .” He left the bedroom and started down the stairs into the front hall, frowning when he heard voices in front of him. 

“I don’t need guards with me,” Beau was arguing. He couldn’t see her or who she was talking to, but they also couldn’t see him. “I can take care of myself.”

“They’re not there to protect you. They’re there to keep you from running away again,” Eston was saying.

“Oh, come on, I was six and my brother had just died, just let it go!”

“Regardless of your feelings on the matter, there will be guards present on this expedition and if you try to elude them they will bring you right back here and you will never leave these grounds again, do you understand?” Beau didn’t answer and Caleb froze on the stairs when he heard a slap echo around the hall before him. “Answer me.  _ Do you understand _ ?”

“Yes,” Beau said finally. “I understand.”

Caleb still didn’t move even when he saw Eston leave the hall via the stairs to the south wing. He was able to make out the quiet voice of the butler who had taken his coat on that first day. “Are you alright, Miss?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Of course I’m fine.”

“Of course, Miss.”

Caleb waited another heartbeat and then continued his descent into the front hall. Beau looked up when he entered, her cheek an angry red though she barely seemed to notice. “There you are. Let’s go, let’s go, it’s a long drive into town and if this is gonna be my only taste of freedom I’m not wasting a second of it.”

“I came as quickly as I could.”

“Then you need to do some speed exercises or something, man, I nearly fell asleep waiting for you. Come on.” She turned towards the door and Henry opened it for her, giving her a small nod as she passed him by. She led Caleb out to a covered red carriage drawn by two horses. And surrounded by four guards. She climbed in first and he followed, sitting on the bench across from her. After a moment, the carriage started to move and they rode to the edge of the property in silence with the guards riding in a second carriage behind them.

“If there’s a spell keeping you in, how are you going to leave now?” he asked after the silence got to be too much.

“There’s a way to turn it on and off. You’ll see.” She didn’t elaborate. 

When the carriage finally came to a stop, Caleb looked out the window at the summer trees and the peaceful woods around them. He could see the gate into the estate, it was two large brick columns with lamps on top burning candles. “Is that the border?”

Beau answered by climbing down out of the carriage. “Don’t freak out when she jumps in,” was all she said before the started walking towards the gate. All four guards followed her.

“What? Who?”

Beau walked up to the gate and paused a few yards in front of it. She stared at the lamps forlornly and reached out her hand. Her hand hit an invisible wall and she curled her fingers into a fist. With a cry of rage she punched the barrier twice. “Fuck! You!” she screamed.

The guards started moving in but didn’t grab her. The second the carriage was left alone, the door on the other side was pulled open and a flash of blue climbed in. Jester grinned at him and she crouched by his feet. “Shhhhh… Be quiet!” she said, a bit too loudly. Luckily, everyone was preoccupied with Beau.

Finally, she stopped punching it and just laid her palm against it again. “Alright,” she called. “Let’s just go already.”

Two of the guards walked passed her, one towards each column, unaffected by the spell. They climbed the ladders leaning against the brick columns and looked at one another.

“On three?” the one on the left started.

The other nodded and started counting. “One, two, three.” Then he leaned over to blow out his candle, a fraction of a second too late. Beau felt the barrier weaken under her fingers but the candles just wobbled and came back. “You said on three!”

“Yeah, on three not after three. I'll count this time.  _ On _ three. One, two-” This time they managed to blow simultaneously and the candles flickered out. The barrier fell away and Beau’s hand crossed the boundary of the estate for the first time in eighteen years. 

She clapped sarcastically. “Well done, gentlemen, you can each count to three, your mothers must be so proud.” She took a single step outside, breathing in the fresh air. Was it just her, or did air taste better on the outside?

“Miss,” the guard said as he started walking back to the carriage. 

She sighed. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” She turned and walked back to the carriage, but her feet felt heavier with each step she took back into her family’s property. She got back into the carriage and grinned at Jester, who moved up to sit beside her and hug her arm.

“You’re free,” the tiefling whispered, reaching up to heal the mark on Beau’s face but Beau turned away, not wanting Jester to see it. Jester frowned but leaned her head against Beau’s shoulder and let her hand fall back down to their joined arms.

Beau looked back at the house instead, tall in the distance and casting a shadow over her entire future. “Not yet. But I will be.”


	6. Chapter 6

Kamordah had changed in the years she’d been forced to only see it through her window. The docks had grown and there were several warehouses built down by the lake. Jester got excited as they drove passed the Fishing District, pressing her face against the glass. “This is where Fjord works! Oh, Beau, I can’t wait for you to meet him.” It was the beginning of the work day for most people but the fishers had been working for hours by now, so the docks were buzzing with activity. 

“Do you see him? I don’t want to risk the guards seeing you yet, so I don’t think you should get out unless you see him for sure.”

Jester nodded and her excited smile faded into a frown as they passed by the district with no sign of her lover boy. “He must be on the water already. He’ll be back in before we leave town, you can meet him then. Maybe we'll have time to stop in and see Momma too.”

Beau nodded. “Looking forward to it.”

Jester grinned again but even Caleb could tell she was pretty disappointed. “You can meet them too, Caleb. I don’t think you and Fjord will like each other very much, though.”

Caleb frowned. He was perfectly pleasant when he wanted to be, thank you very much. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, it’s just, you’re kind of shady, aren’t you? Like sometimes you’ll be saying one thing but doing another thing. Like you came here and said that you were going to marry and love Beau forever and ever but you’re not really in love with her.”

“I’ve known her two days. Maybe when I get to know her better...” He was lying and the look on Jester’s face said that she could tell.

Beau snorted. “Don’t bother. It only gets worse from here.” Jester turned her frown on Beau. Beau rolled her eyes. “Sorry, I won’t talk about myself that way today, I promise.” Jester seemed satisfied and smiled again as Beau continued. “Though, if it makes you both feel better, I’m not into Caleb either.”

“What’s wrong with Caleb? He’s very handsome.”

She shrugged and turned to stare out the window. “Just not my type.”

“Since when do you have a type?”

“Since I met Caleb and thought ‘Ew’.”

Jester tried to hide her amusement from him but Caleb could see the laughter trying to escape from her mouth. “Rude,” she said, her voice squeaking from the effort.

The carriage came to a stop just outside a large red and white tent, the tip of which was nearly as high as the tallest tower on Beau’s house.

“Wow,” Jester said as she stepped out. The guard nearest to her did a double take and then looked inside to carriage as if he were checking to make sure that he was at the correct one. 

Beau climbed out next and pushed him away from the door. “Back up, man,” she mumbled stepping around him to stand beside her friend.

The guard just looked more confused, glancing between Jester and the carriage and looking for some explanation. Caleb finally climbed out and the guard gave up, shutting the carriage door and waving to the driver to take it somewhere to park. They started walking as a group up towards the entrance with two of guards trailing behind them and the other two walking around the tent to look for places Beau could conceivably escape from. As they approached the entrance, they spotted a lavender skinned tiefling in a patchwork duster, smiling pleasantly and taking money for the entrance fee. He caught their eye and gave Jester a grin.

“Well, hello there! So nice to see another tiefling in this town.”

Jester giggled and started patting Beau’s arm in excitement. “Beau! Beau, look!”

Beau crossed her arms and frowned. “Yeah, I see him. Very colorful.”

“I like your coat.

“Thank you very much, you’ve a good eye. How would you like a free tarot read?”

“Oh, yes, I would like that so very much!”

Beau frowned. “Jes, most of these people are charlatans. You really think this random guy is gonna know shit about your future?”

The purple tiefling gave her the most smiley stink-eye she’d ever seen. “How about I do yours first? A free read for skeptics.”

“Ooh, it’s free, huh. Must be very high quality,” she sneered.

The tiefling gave up on his pleasant facade and frowned at her, shuffling the cards in his hands. “Alright, you want proof. I’ll pull three cards and based on that I will tell you your entire life story.”

“Fine. Prove me wrong if you can.”

The tiefling paused mid-shuffle and pulled out a card, handing it to Jester. “Don’t look. This is her past card.” He continued shuffling for a few seconds before pulling a second. “Present. And here is future.” He put his cards into his pocket and held out his hand. “Thank you, my lovely assistant.”

Jester handed him the cards and giggled, moving back over to stand beside Beau. “Beau, he called me lovely.”

“You are lovely, that doesn’t make him psychic.”

The carnie looked over the cards briefly and grinned. He flipped the past card around in his finger to show it to her. “A reversed emperor. Someone took advantage of their power over you to hold you down and make you powerless.”

“Bullshit,” she hissed, reaching out to snatch the card from him.

He yanked it out of her reach and tucked it behind his ear. “Ooh, hit a nerve, tough girl?” He pulled out the next and a curious look crossed his face. “The Temperance card, your present. You are a master of not letting things get to you, everything that is thrown at you rolls off of you like water. You have a clear vision of the future you desire and have a plan to achieve it. Now is the time to reflect and have patience. Your chance is coming.” He tucked the card with the first behind his ear and showed her the final card with a flourish. “And finally, your future. The nine of wands. You will be beaten down and just when they think they have you on your knees, you will stand back up for one last fight. There is challenge and struggle in your future, and ultimately triumph so long as you face obstacles with courage.” He grinned and tucked the third behind his ear with the others, then bowed at the waist. “How was that.”

Jester grinned and tugged on Beau’s arm while Beau sneered at him. “That was so accurate!” Jester said, looking excitedly between Beau and the tiefling. “Beau, did you hear him? He said-”

Beau shook her arm free. “I heard him.” She looked over her shoulder at the guards who were talking quietly amongst themselves and apparently not paying attention. 

Jester frowned sadly but then turned back to the other tiefling. “Do me next!” she cheered.

“Do you want a past-present-future or a single card personality reading?”

“Can you just do a future card by itself?”

“Of course, I can.” He pulled out a single card and smiled. “Oh, this is a good one. Fool.”

“Hey!” Beau objected.

The carnie held up his hands. “It’s the name of the card.” He flipped it around to show it to Jester and pointed the the words ‘Fool’ at the bottom. She took the card from him gently and looked over the elaborate art. “It just means that there are new beginnings on the horizon. Be careful, watch where you’re stepping so that you don’t trip, and be prepared for a new adventure to come your way.”

Jester grinned and handed it back to him. “Thank you. I like that one.”

The carnie spotted Caleb in the back and gestured to him. “Your turn?”

Caleb jumped. “Ah,  _ nein _ ,  _ danke _ . I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? It’s free. I can do a single card like a did for your friend here.”

Jester gasped. “Oh, I didn’t introduce myself! My mother would be so disappointed. I’m Jester, it’s so very nice to meet you.”

The lavender tiefling took her hand and kissed her knuckles, causing her to giggle. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jester. I am Mollymauk Tealeaf, Molly to my friends. Who are your surly companions?”

Jester turned to Beau first and ignored the slightly older woman’s reluctant sneer. “This is my very best friend in the world, Beau. Don’t take it personally, she doesn’t like most people.”

“I’ll try to heal my broken heart.”

“And this is Caleb, her fiance.”

Beau make a noise of disgust. “God, don’t say that.”

“Well, what else do you call someone you’re getting married to?”

“A dead man walking?”

Molly looked surprised. “Well, congratulations. I’m sure you’ll both be very happy with one another.”

Caleb looked uncomfortable. “Neither of us is very happy with the circumstances, no need to congratulate us.”

“Allow me to give you a wedding present. A prediction for the future happiness of your union.” He started shuffling the cards again and pulled one out. “Three of cups. Not a romantic card, by any means, but at the very least you’ll be friends who can turn to each for compassion and strength.”

Beau and Caleb looked at one another skeptically. “There,” Beau said, reaching into her pocket to grab enough copper to pay for their entrance to the tent. “That one alone proves this is all bullshit. Let’s just go in.” She turned to start walking inside but ran into a hard chest. She frowned and started stepping away. “What the fuck-?” She looked up and her eyes widened as she took in the tall, muscular woman before her. She had multi colored hair and eyes and was easily two heads taller than Beau. “Ah… Hi,” Beau said, her voice squeaking slightly. She cleared her throat and tried to look cool. “Hi, hello. Can I help you?”

Molly spoke up. “Oh, Yasha is with security. They paid, darling.”

Yasha pointed back at the guards. “Them too.”

Beau swallowed audibly. “Oh, yeah, sure- of course.” She reached into her pocket and handed Mollymauk a silver. “Just take that, whatever.”

Jester looked at her friend curiously. “Are you okay?”

“Fine, can we just go inside?”

Yasha stepped out of the way and let her move quickly passed. “Enjoy the show,” she said in monotone.

Jester jogged to keep up with Beau’s quick footsteps. “Beau,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just don’t want to miss the show. Let’s find a seat.”

Jester frowned but nodded and the two of them took some seats in the front. There was a guard directly behind them and one hanging out by the main entrance. The tent was spacious and filled half with chairs and half empty space for the performers. There was a hole in the top of the tent that allowed sunlight to light up the inside. Caleb moved slowly inside behind them, ignoring the wink that Mollymauk gave him, and started looking around curiously at the people who were already seated.

A flash of green caught his eye and he looked up to meet Nott’s toothy grin. He froze in the middle of the aisle and she waved at him. She pulled out a curled piece of copper and he heard her voice in his ear. “I was worried so I rode on the bottom of the carriage. Don’t be mad.”

Caleb opened his mouth to say something but paused when Beau looked back at him and frowned. “Hey, hurry up, loser, or we won’t save your seat.”

He frowned at Nott and whispered “Be careful” before he took his seat next to Beau.

_ “Hey! Hey, let me out! LET! ME! OUT! Gaaaaaaaah!” _

_ Caleb stepped into the dungeons and peeked around the corner to make sure that there was no one around. They didn’t need guards, they relied on magic to keep people inside, but it never hurt to be cautious. Finding no one, he stepped out around the corner and started walking down to the only cell with someone inside. “Ah, hallo,” he said, peeking into the cell to see a Goblin curled into a ball in the center of the cell.  _

_ The goblin cried out in surprise and jumped to her feet. “Wha-What? Who are you? What do you want? Go away or I’ll kill you!” she growled and snapped her pointy teeth at him. _

_ Caleb cleared his throat and held up the ring of keys. “I’m here to let you out.” _

_ The goblin froze and looked him over, suspicious. “What? Why?” _

_ Instead of an answer, Caleb walked over to the lock and started trying out keys to find the correct one. “What’s your name?” _

_ “Why? Will you not let me go if I don’t tell you?” _

_ “Nein, I’ll still let you go. I was just curious.” _

_ The goblin didn’t respond for a few minutes, the only sound in the hall being the clinging of keys. “Nott. Nott the Brave.” _

_ “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Nott the Brave. I am Caleb Widogast. Ah, shieße, that’s not it either.” _

_ “Why are you doing this?” _

_ Caleb sighed and tried the next key. “They’re going to kill you. They’re not going to let you go back in the woods. I’m going to let you free and then I need you to leave and go back to your clan.” _

_ “I… I can’t. I can’t go back.” _

_ Caleb paused, his fingers going still around the keys. “Why not?” _

_ “I ran away. If I try to go back I can guarantee you that they will do worse to me than you pansy wizards would do.” _

_ “Then where can you go?” _

_ “Hell?” _

_ Caleb was startled by his own chuckle. “I don’t…” he sighed. “I can’t leave you here.” He was quiet for a few seconds before he seemed to come to a collision. “I have a cabin. A few miles away. It’s where I live, though I don’t spend much time there, I have a room here in the tower. If you would like to come with me I can take you there to be safe for a little while.” _

_ Nott looked up at him with wide, careful eyes, her ears folded back nervously. “You would do that? Why?” _

_ Caleb opened his mouth to answer but stopped when one of the keys turned in the lock and it popped open. “There we are. Come along.” _

_ The goblin hesitated but finally skittered out of the cell. “If you try anything I will kill you.” _

_ Caleb nodded and started leading her towards the exit. “I understand.” _

The hole at the top of the tent started to close and the interior began to get dark. The stream of sunlight focused in on an elven man in the center. “Hello, fine people of Kamordah! It’s is my honor and privilege to welcome you to The Fletching and Moodrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities! I am your carnival master, Gustav.” The crowd started to clap. Jester clapped excitedly and Beau just clapped twice lazily twice before crossing her arms. Caleb kept his hands in his pockets and kept looking over his shoulder to spot his tiny friend’s little green head. “I promise you a show filled with- excuse me, you can’t-”

Three figures pushed their way out into the center of the ring. A goliath, a dwarf with a large sword resting on his shoulder, and a water genasi with long black hair. The genasi nodded and the goliath lifted the elf into her arms to move him out of the way. The crowd around them started to mutter to themselves, trying to figure out if this was apart of the show.

Yasha marched passed them towards the ring but paused mid step when the goliath wrapped a hand around Gustav’s neck. The genasi smirked. “No need to fret, my large friend. We don’t wish to harm anyone here today. We are looking for one person and then we’ll be on our way and you can all go back to enjoying the carnival.”

Yasha started to take a step but Gustav made a noise of pain as the hand got tighter around his neck and she froze. “Let him go and get out,” she said, her face filling with rage.

“Oh, we’d love to, truly. But we came here for someone and we’re not leaving without her. If Beauregard Lionett could please turn herself over to us we’ll happily let this man go.”

Jester gasped and reached out to clutch Beau’s arm. Beau sneered and started sinking into her seat. Her family guards didn’t have weapons (they were only supposed to keep her from running, they weren’t expecting a fight) but when she looked back to find them they were gone. She caught sight of several other people with weapons blocking the entrance.

She jumped and looked back at the ring when Gustav started gasping for air and clawing at the hand as it tightened even more. His face was starting to turn blue.

The genai smirked and looked over the crowd. “Come along, Beauregard dear. We have all day and so many, many people we could hurt.”

“Shit,” Beau hissed, under her breath. “Shit shit shit.”

Jester frowned and looked at her worriedly. “Beau?”

Caleb seemed to realize what she was about to do because he started to reach for her, but she stood up too quickly. “Here,” she said, stepping out into the aisle. “I’m Beau. Let him go.”

The hand relaxed around Gustav’s neck but she didn’t set him down yet. The genasi grinned and waved her forward. She sighed and started walking towards him.

“Beau,” Jester called, tears gathering in her eyes. “No, come back!”

When Beau got within arms reach, the female goliath traded the elf for her, holding her tightly against her chest. Beau grunted at the sudden jostling. “At least buy me dinner first.”

“Shut up,” the goliath grunted. Suddenly, her eyes rolled back into her head and she started to scream. “I can’t see!” she growled, dropping Beau to the ground. “I can’t see!”

It all happened so fast. One second, she was on the ground, the next Caleb was behind her, hurriedly helping her to her feet as people started to scream and storm the exits. “Come on!” he exclaimed.

The goliath must have followed his voice, because she reached for them blindly. “What did you do to my eyes?!” she screeched.

Molly pushed his way out of the stampeding crowd and stood between the two of them and the goliath, brandishing twin scimitars. “That would be me, actually. You two, run.”

Beau gripped Caleb’s arm to get her balance and she started looking around for Jester. When she saw her, she felt rage start to fill her body until she screamed. In the confusion, the genasi had taken hold of Jester and was holding a sword against her throat. 

“You let her go!” Beau screamed in rage, pushing away from Caleb and marching towards the genasi. “Let her go and take me! But I swear to you now if you harm her I will not rest until you’re dead, you piece of shit!”

The tent was empty except for them now. Most of the chairs had been turned over and there was screaming outside. The genasi grinned. “That’s a good girl, we don’t want to hurt anyone. Come along quietly and we’ll let your friend go.”

Jester was staring at her with wet eyes. “No, Beau,” she whispered. “Run.”

Beau held up her hands. “I’m going willingly.  _ Let. Her. Go _ .”

The genasi let Jester go suddenly and she hurried away from him, running over to hug Beau tightly. “Let’s run,” she whispered. “We can still run.”

Beau looked over her should at Caleb and Molly who were still facing down the goliath and the dwarf alone. Then at Gustav who was nearly unconscious on the floor with Yasha standing over him protectively. All these people would die if she did that. She sighed. “No. You go. Take Caleb and the others and get out.”

Jester looked sad but nodded and first ran over to help Gustav to his feet. The genasi looked her over like he was appraising her. “You’re not what I expected. I was expecting a bit more… fight.” As soon as he got close Beau reared back her fist and punched him the face. He reached up and adjusted his jaw, wiping blood from his lip and smirking down at her. “That’s more like it. Just for that-” he turned and waved at the goliath and dwarf. “Take the red head and the purple one too.”

“No,” Beau said. “I’m going with you, you said you’d leave the others alone!”

“I said that I would leave the blue one alone. And I will. Come along or I’ll be forced to take her too.” He turned and started to leave. The goliath picked both Caleb and Molly up in her arms and started carrying them after him. The dwarf came up behind Beau and poked her in the back with his sword, which she knocked away. She started following after them all, taking one last look back at Jester’s heartbroken face.

Caleb and Molly were pressed chest against chest in the crook of the goliath’s arm. Molly huffed and gave Caleb a wry smile. “So. Come here often?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Molly's cards aren't the standard tarot deck but without more information about the cards in his deck I went with what I could google.


	7. Chapter 7

The second that Beau disappeared from her view, Jester started to quietly pace trying to think. Gustav reached out to gently pat her shoulder as she passed him. “I’m so sorry, sweet girl,” he mumbled. He turned to Yasha. “Find out whatever you can about who those people were. We must save Molly and that young woman.”

Yasha nodded and started out the main entrance. Just as she got near, a small green shape burst through, growling and baring her teeth.

“Caleb?” she called, looking around for him frantically. “Caleb? Where are you? Beau?”

Yasha paused and looked down at the creature curiously. “Hello.”

The goblin turned to her and snarled. “Where is Caleb? What did you do to him?”

Jester stepped up beside Yasha. “Caleb? Who are you, how do you know Caleb?”

“Hey, I’m asking the questions here!”

Jester frowned. “He got taken. Him and Beau and Molly all got taken.”

Nott’s shoulders sagged in despair. “What? Where?”

Yasha was the one who answered this time. “That’s what we’re trying to find out.” She moved passed Nott, and left through the flap covering the entrance.

Jester crouched down to Nott’s height. “Hello there. I’m very sorry about Caleb, but we’re going to do whatever we can to get him back. Who are you exactly?”

Nott looked at her cautiously and took a big step away. “I’m Nott. Caleb is my best friend.”

Jester smiled. “Hi there Nott. I’m Jester and Beau is my best friend. We’re going to try our best to find them both, okay?” She reached out to pull a stray stick out of Nott’s hair. “What happened? You look like you got trampled.”

“I got swept away in the crowd.”

Jester nodded and started looking around the ring for clues. “Come on with me, Nott. We’ll be detectives together and find our friends, okay?”

Nott nodded and started looking around. “I know a little bit of magic, but I don’t think I have anything that could help us track someone down.”

“Me neither. I know a bit of healing but I stopped learning magic before I could learn much else.”

“What? Why? Magic is the best.”

Jester frowned. “I had a friend who was teaching me. But then I met Beau and I think he left. I don’t really remember. But, anyway, I don’t have big spells like that.” Jester opened her mouth to speak but paused when she recognized a voice outside the tent.

“Look, let me come with you.”

“No,” said Yasha’s voice. “I don’t need your help.”

“It’s not  _ for _ you, they’ve been making trouble at the docks. If I can slow them down a little bit I’d be happy to.”

“I said, no.”

The tent flap opened and Jester realized that she was correct about who the second voice belonged to. “Fjord?” she asked.

Fjord looked up at her and smiled. “Jester. I didn’t know you were here, are you alright? I heard there was some trouble.”

Jester nodded. “I’m fine, Fjord, but they stole my friend. Can you help me?”

“Yeah, yeah. I was just telling this person, I know where they went. There’s an entrance down by the docks that they use a lot.” He glanced down at Nott by Jester’s feet and then did a double take. “Oh fuck!” he exclaimed, jumping between Nott and Jester. “Watch out, there’s a goblin!”

Jester grabbed his arm. “I know, I know! She’s Caleb’s friend, she’s going to help us find them.”

Fjord frowned. “It’s a goblin. They’re not anybody’s friend.”

Jester shrugged. “This one is. Nott, tell him.”

Nott snarled at the half-orc which wasn’t helping. “I just want to find Caleb! And I’m not gonna let you get in my way!”

“Fine,” Fjord hissed, watching her carefully. “I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

Nott snapped her teeth at him. “And I’ll be watching you too!”

“For what?”

“For stuff, that’s what!”

Fjord threw up his hands and spun to look at Jester with a bewildered expression. “Where the fuck did you meet this crazy goblin?”

“Here.”

“At a circus. Fitting.”

Yasha stepped up beside them and frowned. “If you’re all coming along, we should get moving. Fjord, tell us everything you know about these people.” She turned and started to leave the tent and the others moved to follow.

Fjord was still frowning and watching Nott out of the corner of his eye but nodded. “I don’t know what the group is called, exactly. All I know is they’ve got a leader named The Gentleman. He’s the genasi that was there. They blackmail and threaten the owners at the docks into making deliveries for them across the lake. My old captain said no and disappeared.”

Jester walked in step with him. “What would they want with Beau?”

He shrugged. “I don’t have a clue,” he said in his lazy drawl. Jester fidgeted with her fingers nervously and Fjord reached over and gently lay his hand over hers. He gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure your friend is gonna be fine, Jester. If they wanted to hurt her they would have done it already.”

She nodded. “I know she’s fine. Beau can take care of herself.” She still seemed unsure but Fjord didn’t comment on it. They all walked through the suddenly empty streets towards the docks. Fjord lead them down onto the wooden dock and towards a dingy tied to a post. Yasha climbed in first, followed by Jester. Nott stood frozen on the edge of the dock, staring into the water. 

Fjord paused in the middle of untying the road and looked up at her. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked. “You wanted to come, didn’t you?”

“We have to take a boat?” she asked, pulling nervously on the end of her cloak.

“Unless you’d rather swim.”

“No!” she exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing onto his pant leg. When she realized what she’d done, she hurriedly let him go.

Jester leaned over the edge of the boat and looked at her. “Nott, are you scared of water?”

“Of course I’m scared of water! Any rational fucking person would be terrified of water.”

Jester smiled softly and reached out her arm. “Here, I’ll hold onto you so that you don’t fall in.”

“But what if you fall in? Then you’ll drag me down.”

Fjord sighed heavily and crouched down to her height. “Your friend got taken, right?” Nott nodded. “What’s his name?”

“Caleb.”

“Alright, well, Caleb is just a short boat ride away. Five minutes. Besides, this part along the dock is surprisingly shallow. Jester could probably touch the bottom and still have her entire head and neck above water no problem. If she falls in, which she won’t, she’ll hold you up above her head. Won’t you?”

Jester nodded and grinned. “Oh, for sure! I’m very strong.”

Nott chewed nervously on her claw. “I don’t know.”

Fjord sighed. “Fine.” He picked Nott up by the back of her cloak and tossed her into the boat. Jester gasped and scrambled to catch the flailing, screaming goblin out of the air.

“Fjord!” Jester exclaimed, gently running her fingers up and down Nott’s back as the goblin clung to her for dear life.

Fjord sighed and pushed off on the boat, huffing as he jumped in. “We have to go. We don’t have time for this.”

Nott shivered in Jester’s arms for a minute before feeling something in her hair. She snapped her hand up to feel what it was and caught Yasha’s hand as the pale woman slipped a flower into her ear. Nott let go of Yasha’s hand and ran her finger against the petal. “Th-Thank you. I like flowers.”

Yasha nodded. “I like flowers too.”

With the flower in her hair, Nott slowly started feeling comfortable in Jester’s arms, sliding down into her lap and resting there. Fjord smirked. “See? Not so bad, right?”

“Fuck you.”

Fjord rolled his eyes and started rowing them towards a cleverly hidden cave entrance a hundred yards from the docks, down along the edges of the lake. He continued forward through the draping seaweed that camouflaged the entrance.

Nott pressed herself into Jester. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Hey, you, what’s your name?” No answer. “Yeah, well fuck you.”

“Beau,” Molly bemoaned, dragging his fingers down his face. “Stop talking to the guards, the sound of your voice is grating on every nerve in my body.”

“Hey, fuck you, Molly!”

“Fuck you, Beau.”

Beau frowned and crossed her arms, leaning against the bars of the cell door. The entire dungeon area was only lit by a few candles on the far walls, but she could mostly make out the shapes of her cellmates. Molly was lounging on the bench against the wall like he was in a resort and Caleb was curled up in a ball on the corner. She was only able to stand the silence for a few minutes before she turned back around and started shaking the bars. “Let. Me. Out!”

“Shut up,” said one of the guards sitting at a table under the candle. They were playing a card game and betting drinks instead of coin.

Beau frowned and reached down to take off her shoe. With perfect aim, she threw the shoe and it hit with a wet smack against the other guard’s cheek. The guard she’d hit growled as he stood and marched over to her. He grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her hard into the bars. She barely managed to keep her face from smashing against the metal but just sneered up into the half-orc’s face. When he opened his mouth to speak she reached around and grabbed him by the hair, pulling back on it and then pushing his head forward to hit the bars hard. Because of the force and angle there was a crack as his nose broke. He roared and threw Beau back on the stone ground of the cell.

She was about to get back up but Caleb wrapped himself around waist to hold her down. “ _ Hör auf damit _ ! Beau, you’re going to get us killed.”

“We’re going to die anyway! Might as well give us a chance.”

Caleb looked at Molly for help as Beau slipped out of his hold but the tiefling was grinning as he stood. “I’m on board for a fight.”

Beau got to her feet as the guard held his bleeding nose and turned to look at him. “Caleb, you’re a wizard, use some fucking magic! You dropped the ball in the circus, at least give us a chance now!”

“Drop the- I couldn’t fight with magic in the circus, there were people in there! Magic isn’t like a punch, if I’d cast anything I could have set the whole damn place on fire!”

“Well, we’re not in the circus now.”

“No, but we are in a very confined space, with limited visibility.”

The guard turned back to them. “I’re keel oou!” he growled, his voice nasally and pinched from the broken nose.

Their argument stopped short when a door at the end of the hall slammed open and there were light, elegant footsteps starting down towards them. “Now, now. That will be enough of that.” The genasi from earlier came into view and waved his hand at the guard, who nodded and walked back to his friend at the card table. “Beauregard, I thought we had an agreement. You came willingly.”

“That was when you were threatening the only person on Exandria I give a damn about.”

“What about your friends in there?”

“Fuck them. I don’t even know the purple one.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Molly called. “Since you’re clearly only after her, and we do not matter, you should let us leave.”

“Hmm… No I won’t be doing that. You gave yourself up to me in the first place for a man you’d never even met. You’re not as heartless as you’d like others to believe, that’s your mistake.”

Beau rolled her eyes and came back up the bars, holding them tightly in her fists. “What the fuck do you want with me? It’s got something to do with my parent’s right? Even I can’t piss off an entire criminal organization in the four hours I’ve been free. If this is you trying to blackmail them or get revenge, it won’t work. They won’t miss me. I’ve got cousins who can take over the family business when I’m dead and my dad likes most of them better than he ever liked me.”

“I highly doubt they won’t at least take some notice of their only daughter disappearing.”

“They’ll think it was all a big trick to escape them. Just make sure you send my dead body back to them just so I can shove it in their faces. What exactly is your problem with them anyway? I mean, I know that they’re terrible people, but you don’t seem like the ethics police.”

“Your parents ruined the life of the only woman I’ve ever loved. I thought about destroying their business, but then they’d never know who did it or why. No, it had to be something public. Something so that they would remember me for the rest of their lives. I could have grabbed you out of your carriage on the road but I decided to wait until I was in front of a room of people so that it would get back to them as soon as possible.”

“So, you paid off the family guards to disappear right?”

“Of course. Couldn’t have them getting in the way. It was very important that no one died, that would have distracted from your kidnapping. I needed your disappearance to be the biggest story.”

“Well, you have me. What are you gonna do with me? You must have some ideas.”

“Several, each more satisfying than the last. But first, I think I’ll send a message.” He reached through the bars and grabbed her hand. “A finger. Simple, traditional, but it gets the message across, I believe.”

Beau leaned her forehead against the bars and flipped him off with the hand he was holding on to. “Just don’t take this one. It’s my favorite.”

“I’ll take your wishes into consideration.” He dropped her hand and started to walk away. “Boris? The ring finger, if you please. Try to keep the cut as clean as possible, the last time you did this it was hardly recognizable and we had to take the pointer too.”

Boris was still cradling his nose as he stood and started walking towards the cell. “You know,” Beau called before the genasi disappeared in the darkness. “If you really wanna get back at my parents, I’ve been planning for longer than you have and I’ve got some pretty good ideas. You still wanna take down their business? I know it inside and out. I could help you and make sure that they know exactly who’s responsible.”

The genasi froze mid step and turned back to her. His face was a mask of indifference but Beau figured he must have been intrigued. “And you would do that to your own flesh and blood?”

“In a heartbeat. They’ve kept me prisoner for my entire life, I have fantasies about tearing down everything they care about. Look, just hear me out. If you don’t like what I have to say, you can always cut off my fingers later.”

The genasi seemed to consider this for a moment. “Very well. But if I don’t like what you have to say, I’ll be taking the middle one this time. Boris, let her out.”

Boris sneered but pulled the keys off his hip. He unlocked the cell door and Beau was grinning as she stepped out. She opened her arms wide after he’d locked the cell again. “No hard feelings, Boris?” She wrapped her arms quickly around him and he shoved her away. She shrugged. “Alright, alright. Hard feelings then. Uh, hey, fiance?” She turned toward the cell and reached through the bars. Caleb was looking at her dubiously but he hadn’t said anything because apparently she was on a roll. “Don’t forget me?” Her delivery was clunky and awkward but she was clearly trying to tell him something without saying it outright.

He hesitated but reached forward the take her hand in his own in what he hoped was a completely harmless/romantic looking gesture. “Uhh… sure.”

She rolled her eyes and pulled back out, following the genasi down the hall. “I thought you loved me, Caleb!” Now she was just being an asshole.

“Well,” Molly said when they were alone with the second guard still sitting at the card table. “She’s dead.”

Caleb looked down at the key she’d slipped into his hand. “Perhaps. But we don’t have to be next.”


	8. Chapter 8

_“Jester.”_

_Jester looked up from the bag she was packing to see a familiar green cloaked figure sitting on her bed. She grinned and jumped to her feet. “Traveler! I haven’t seen you in so long.”_

_“It’s only been a few days though I know it feels like forever when you’re so young. What are you packing for?”_

_“I’m taking some of my toys and sketch books to Beau to play with together and show her some of my drawings.”_

_The Traveler was still smiling but he seemed tense. “You’ve gone to see your friend every day this week.”_

_“Well, yeah, she’s all alone up at that house. She needs me.”_

_“I’ve been feeling a little lonely myself, Jester. Do you not need me anymore?”_

_Jester gasped and ran over to jump up on the bed next to him. “Of course I still need you. You’re my first friend ever. But this is the first time anybody ever needed me. I can’t just forget about her.”_

_The Traveler was quiet for a moment before turning his grin to her and reaching out to pat her head lovingly. “Of course not. You have a good heart, Jester. Your friend is lucky to have you. Just do me a favor? Cause some trouble every now and then.”_

_The little blue tiefling giggled. “Of course. I’ll stay here with you all day tomorrow, okay? I promise.” She turned and scooped up the bag before running out the door. “Bye bye!”_

_The Traveler stared at her retreating back and frowned when she was out of sight. With a heavy sigh, he faded away. ___

__

__Jester was silent as Fjord rowed them forward. The only sound was the echo of the shifting water against the wet stone walls. The darkness in the cave laid over them like a blanket. Because she was a tiefling, she could see marginally better than humans in the dark but there wasn’t much to see._ _

__“You said five minutes,” Nott muttered, leaning over in Jester’s lap to look down at the water. “How much farther?”_ _

__“Well, I’ve never actually been in here,” Fjord said, frowning. “I only found out about it today, I happened to see them go in here.”_ _

__“You actually saw them? Jester asked. “Did you see our friends?”_ _

__“Well, I don’t know. What are they like?”_ _

__“Caleb is super smart and talented!” Nott said._ _

__Fjord frowned. “I meant what do they look like. I can’t see talent.”_ _

__“Oh. Red hair? Curly? Always looks like he’s kind of on the verge of a breakdown?”_ _

__“Ooh, that’s accurate,” Jester said, nodding. “And Beau is super pretty, like a fairy tail heroine! Her hair is, like, half shaved and she has a bun. She wears a lot of blue. And Molly is… Yasha, how would you describe Molly?”_ _

__Yasha looked up at them from staring at her feet. “Purple,” she said shortly before looking back down._ _

__Nott looked back at Jester. “Who’s Molly?” she whispered too loudly._ _

__Fjord cleared his throat. “I did see a purple tiefling sitting in the boat. Was that your friend?” Yasha just nodded. “I- uh, I didn’t really see the other two. I didn’t have the best view. The tiefling was just kind of hard to miss, honestly.” He opened his mouth to continue but paused and narrowed his eyes as he looked ahead. “I think we’re coming up on some docks,” he whispered._ _

__Jester leaned around him and nodded. “Yeah. I don’t see any people on them.”_ _

__“Hello!” Nott called. “Caleb?!”_ _

__“Shhh!”_ _

__Everyone in the boat got silent, even Fjord stopped rowing, but there was no sign of movement or voices on the docks. As they got closer, they could see a hallway behind the docks and the faint flickering of candle light. “I think we’re clear,” Fjord said, though he kept his voice low._ _

__He grabbed some rope to tie off the boat and huffed as he jumped up onto the dock. As he was bent over tying the rope, there was a flick of movement out of the shadows behind him. Jester gasped. “Fjord, look out!”_ _

__The boat jolted as Yasha surged forward and there was a ringing of metal as her sword clashed with another mid air above Fjord’s head. Yasha pushed against the sword as the assailant came into view in her darkvision. It was the goliath woman from the tent. She growled as Yasha knocked the sword back, barely keeping her grip on the sword as Yasah took the opportunity to jump out of the boat._ _

__The boat swayed violently back and forth, nearly tipping over several times while Nott held onto Jester for dear life and screamed. “Fuck water! Fuck water!”_ _

__Jester wrapped her arms around Nott and shifted her weight in the seat to keep the boat from tipping over entirely. “We’re fine!” she exclaimed. “We’re still up!”_ _

__“I’m drowning! I’m gonna drown!”_ _

__“You’re not drowning, we’re still in the boat!”_ _

__“I’m definitely drowning! Tell Caleb I love him!”_ _

__The goliath recovered from Yasha’s parry and swung background. The two greatswords clashed in the middle, throwing sparks. Fjord watched in awe as the light from the sparks almost made it look like there were wings sprouting from Yasha’s back in the shadows._ _

__He rolled out from under the woman and nearly tumbled off the edge of the docks but he managed to get to his feet. “Shit,” he hissed. “I really didn’t want to do this.” He held his hand out to his side and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. A moment later, a sword appeared in his hand. Jester’s mouth dropped and she was momentarially able to block out Nott as she shouted out her last will and testament._ _

__“Caleb gets all the stuff I stole from Beau and her mom! He also gets all the stuff I stole from the Academy! He also gets all the stuff I stole from him when we first met and I was too shy afterwards to return to him because then I'd have to admit I took it!”_ _

__The sword in Fjord’s hands seemed to almost drip water. There was a glowing eye in the hilt that followed her when she moved and barnacles that grew along the blunt edge._ _

__Fjord stabbed his forward and with perfect synchronization, he stabbed through the goliath’s back as Yasha’s sword sliced her head from her shoulders. Fjord’s jaw dropped as he watched the goliath’s head drop into the water and her body tumble to the ground by his feet. “Oh, fuck, I just killed somebody.”_ _

__Yasha reached down to help Jester out of the boat as the tiefling held Nott against her chest. “I killed her most,” the tall woman said. “Honestly, she probably would have survived the wound you gave her.”_ _

__Jester turned to Fjord and glared at him, pointing furiously at the sword. “What the fuck is that! Where did you get that magic sword?! How long have you had it?!”_ _

__Fjord cleared his throat and made the sword vanish. “C-Can we talk about this later? We should save your friends.”_ _

__“Why didn’t you tell me that you had a magic sword? I thought we were friends?”_ _

__“Jester, we are friends, I just… This is new. Just a few weeks. I haven’t really figured out myself how I feel about it.”_ _

__“I could have helped you.”_ _

__“I know. Thank you. We’ll talk about it later, okay? I promise.”_ _

__Jester was still obviously upset but she nodded and started walking to the end of the dock where the wood gave way to stone. She sat Nott down on the ground and goblin let out a heavy sigh of relief. “That wasn’t so bad,” she said, unconvincingly._ _

__Fjord walked passed them towards the dimly lit hallway ahead. “Good. Because we’ll have to take the boat back out the other way.”_ _

__Nott didn’t respond, just laid down flat on the cold, hard ground and groaned. Jester pat her back softly. “Come on, Nott. We’re almost to Caleb.”_ _

__Nott huffed but pushed herself up to her feet. The hallway was mostly dark. There were lit candles but they were easily fifty feet apart, leaving them in a weird half lit limbo. They were all quiet, the only noise in the hall being the shuffling of their shoes and soft metallic ‘bing’ everytime Yasha’s sword hit one of the metal spikes on her belt._ _

__They came upon a ‘T’ in the hall. One path led right and the other left with no signs or other indication of which way they should go. Fjord frowned and looked closely down each hallway but they were both darker than the last and his darkvision didn’t reach far enough to see the ends. “I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe we can try one and then the other?”_ _

__“That could take too long. What if Beau’s about to die? What if we have to barely make it to her with no time to spare and if we go the wrong way now we’ll miss her?”_ _

__“Jester, I don’t- Shh… I hear footsteps.”_ _

__Fjord pressed himself back against the wall of the hallway they’d just come though and the others followed suit. After a moment of silence they could all hear it to. It was hard to tell how many people were coming or how far away they were because of the echo against the stone walls. Fjord summoned his sword once more and Yasha pulled her’s off of her back. They waited for several seconds, possibly even a minute before the sound of the footsteps got to the ‘T’._ _

__Fjord jumped around the corner with his sword held out in front of him and two swords came up to clash against his in the air. “Stay right-” he started just as one person in the other party started shouting as well._ _

__“Don’t try and stop us, we’re-”_ _

__“-there, I don’t want to-”_ _

__“-leaving and we’re coming back with-”_ _

__“-hurt you but I will if you-”_ _

__“Fjord!” Jester called but they couldn’t hear her over their own yelling._ _

__“-my friend Yasha and she’s gonna tear this-”_ _

__“-try anything you won’t leave me a choice!”_ _

__“-place a brand new asshole!”_ _

__“Fjord! That’s Caleb and Molly,” Jester said, stepping around the corner with Nott close behind her. Nott threw herself and Fjord’s leg and bit him in the thigh._ _

__“Fuck! Nott what are you doing!” he exclaimed, shaking out his leg._ _

__Nott pulled her teeth out but held onto his leg. “Don’t point that thing at my boy! I’ll kill you!”_ _

__“Nott!” Caleb said, stepping out from behind Molly. “You came.”_ _

__Nott dropped off of Fjord’s leg and ran towards Caleb. He bent down to hug her and ruffle her hair. “Of course I came! I wouldn’t just leave you here alone!”_ _

__Yasha stepped up to Molly as the tiefling sheathed his weapons and he gave her a grin. “Are you alright?” she asked, her voice monotone but her eyes worried._ _

__“Never better, dear. Thanks for coming. We were actually just coming to get you so that you could help us save Beau.”_ _

__Jester frowned. “What? What did they do to Beau?”_ _

__“She did something stupid and sacrificed herself so that we could escape. The blue fellow took her away to an undisclosed location after she offered him a deal.”_ _

__Caleb frowned as he stood up completely. “We can’t go back for her. That man is the leader, he’ll be heavily guarded. They will kill us, Mollymauk.” He turned to Jester next. “I know that it’s very sad, but there is no hope for her. She would want you to be safe.”_ _

__“I can’t just leave her. She and my mom are the only family I’ve got in the whole wide world. She’s not blood but she’s my sister and I’m not leaving here without her.” Jester started marching forward down the hall that Caleb and Molly had just come down. “I’ll go alone if I have to.”_ _

__Molly instantly moved to follow her with Yasha trailing behind. “I’m with you.”_ _

__Fjord sighed but followed as well, leaving just Caleb and Nott standing at the intersection. Nott frowned. She wanted to follow, she wanted to help Beau, but Caleb came first. “We can go back to the house,” she said quietly. “You might have a few days to look for all the books you need before we have to leave.”_ _

__He shook his head. “No. I need her to find those books. And she’s the only one who knows about the missing one I’ve been searching for for seven years. I need her.”_ _

__He started down the hall after the others and Nott nodded, reaching out to take his hand as she walked beside him. “Okay.”_ _

__Jester led the charge down the hallway. They came back to the cells and the dead body of the second guard and continued forward. They came upon a wooden door with the sounds of screaming and voices on the other side. Molly and Yasha exchanged a glance and nodded, each pulling out their weapons and getting into position. Fjord stood on Molly’s right beside the wall and called forth his sword. Caleb and Jester stood together in the back with Nott resting on Caleb's shoulder and propping her crossbow on his head._ _

__“Ready?” Molly asked. No one spoke so he reached forward and rapped his knuckles against the door._ _

__The doorknob turned in slow motion as Jester’s blood rushed through her ears._ _

__Finally, the door was pulled open to reveal a short, unarmed gnome holding a mug of ale nearly half her size. She raised an unimpressed eyebrow at them and took a sip. “You must be Beau’s friends. Come on in.”_ _


	9. Chapter Nein

Molly blinked in surprise and glanced at Yasha, whose face was stoic but her head was tilted slightly in that way that told him she was just as lost as he was. He cleared his throat and sheathed his swords, looking back at the others and waving at them to do the same as he stepped through the threshold. Yasha hesitated but did so and Fjord dismissed his sword with a flick of the wrist. Nott put her crossbow on the holster on her back but stayed on Caleb’s shoulders, ducking slightly to keep from hitting her head when he followed the others inside.

Jester pushed her way up to the front of the pack, right behind Mollymauk. She pressed against his back and looked over his shoulder.

The room they had stepped into was abuzz with activity. It was clearly a bar. There was a tabaxi swinging from the chandelier and people cheering and singing across the room. The most out of place sight was a throne-like chair on a platform in the back of the room.

In the chair sat the blue skinned, seemingly perpetually wet genasi with Beau standing across from him, her arms crossed over her chest and a serious look on her face. Behind the chair there was another goliath who stood at least a foot taller than the one they’d killed at the docks. She looked up at them the second they walked in and watched them carefully as Molly led them over to stand behind Beau.

“Two weeks, you said?” the genasi said, looking interested.

“Heard it straight from the top. I don’t have a time but I can find out and send you a letter, along with all the notes I’ve taken about the people who work under my father. There’s this woman, Trina Topflower, she’s pretty much my father’s right hand person and I think she can be corrupted. She hates my father and only works for him because she’s got a daughter. Even slightly more money than what my father pays her would get her to flip. She’ll know contacts, recipes, manufacturing info, the works. You get her and she’ll have our new winery open and thriving within months.”

The man hummed thoughtfully and started drumming his fingers on the arm rest. “Speaking of, we’ll need to decide who is going to be the face of this new company. We can’t name is after you, for obvious reasons, there’s already a Lionett’s Winery.”

She frowned and looked down at her tapping foot. “We need a name they would be familiar with. Something… ironic, that they won’t even get until it’s too late. Let’s call it… Daughter’s Winery?”

A grin spread across the genasi’s lips. “Perfect. I’ll get someone on it right away and send a letter to Topflower. It appears that your friends have arrived. I assume my guards will not be returning?”

Molly cleared his throat. “No, sir, they were in our way.”

He turned to a human man standing next to him. “Go clean up the mess, if you please. And bring our new friends some ale.”

“Milk!” Jester called.

“And some milk. “

Beau turned to them as the gnome who’d answered the door walked up to her and handed her an overflowing mug. She raised an eyebrow at them and took a sip. “What the fuck have you guys been up to while I was gone? I can’t even imagine how you all ended up together.”

“What exactly did you do?” Molly asked, ignoring her confusion. “Last I saw you I was sure you were about to die and now you’re… business partners?” Someone stepped up and handed them each their mugs as well.

She shrugged and took another swig. “Yeah, pretty much. Have you had this shit before? It’s so god awful, it’s amazing. All I’ve ever had to drink is wine. I love this place.”

“Ale,” Molly said. “It’s called ale.”

“Yeah, that.” Jester moved around Molly’s body and wrapped her arms around Beau’s shoulders. Milk dripped down the back of Beau shirt and she shivered. “Jester, are you okay?”

“I was so very worried! Caleb told me you were dead!”

Beau glared at him over her shoulder and he held up his hands in defense. “I said that you were probably dead.”

“I’m not dead,” she said, pulling out of Jester’s arms.

“Clearly,” said Molly. “What the fuck happened? Did you charm the man?”

“Eww.”

Molly rolled his eyes. “Not sexually, I can tell by looking at you that you and he don’t bat on the same teams. How did you convince a criminal mob boss to go into business with you?”

“He and I hate my parents enough to get over our differences. He was smart enough to listen to my expertise. He and his organization are pretty new to town, they came from Zadash, and I’m a lifelong professional at hating my parents. Now I will literally be getting paid for it. We should go though. It’ll be getting dark soon.”

“Ah, Beauregard,” the genasi called. “Before you leave, I’ll be needing blood from your friends.”

She frowned and stood between him and and Jester. “You have mine. What do you need theirs for?”

“They know too much, I need to be able to find them if their lips turn out to be loose.”

“No. You have mine.”

He raised an eyebrow and propped his chin on his hand. “Are you saying that you will take responsibility for their actions?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”

Molly stepped around her. “I don’t want anyone responsible for me. What’s this bloodletting nonsense?”

Beau glared at him. “He wants your blood so that he can use magic to track you down if you give him up.”

“Very well,” he slipped off his jacket and threw it at Caleb, who scrambled to catch it. He pricked his finger against his sharpened canine and held it out towards the genasi. “Beauregard will not take the fall for my choices.”

The genasi seemed intrigued and nodded to one of the people sitting at a table nearby. There were a few test tubes in front of her, one with dark red blood already in it. She took Molly’s hand and squeezed his finger to drip his blood into one of the tubes. “Anyone else?” she asked, capping the tube and reaching for another. Yasha gave her blood silently.

Fjord stepped up next. “I’ve never even met her, she’s not gonna take the fall for stupid shit I do.”

Jester squeezed Beau’s hand and then gave her blood as well. “Sorry Beau.”

Beau turned to glare at Nott and Caleb. Nott let her hand slip out of Caleb’s and then stepped up to give her blood. Finally, only Beau and Caleb stood back, staring each other down. “Don’t do it,” she said. “You do this and he will have what he needs to find you anywhere.”

Caleb sighed and stepped forward. “No, he won’t,” he whispered. He gave up his blood with one hand and gripped the amulet around his neck with the other.

Beau frowned and crossed her arms. “What the fuck did you do that for? That was a bad idea.” She sighed. “Let’s just go. Hey, Gentleman? Is there another way out of here or is it just back passed the holding cells?”

He shook his head and pointed to a spiral staircase across the room. “You can go out that way. And Beauregard, I expect to hear from you within the week. I look forward to working with you.”

“And fucking over my parents?”

“Of course. And, should you ever need to reenter the bar, tell the tavern keeper upstairs ‘I come with many gifts’. Don’t forget that.”

She nodded. “Got it. Let’s get out of here.” She led everyone up the stairs with Jester’s hand holding tight onto her limp fingers.

The sun was getting lower in the sky when they stepped out of the tavern that housed a criminal organization underneath. Beau took a deep breath and looked around the nearly empty city streets. The carnival tent was standing tall in the distance and she turned to Molly. “Thanks, I guess. For coming for me. You didn’t have to.”

He shrugged. “I know. I’m magnanimous that way.”

She sneered and shook her head. “Gods, you’re obnoxious.”

He grinned at her and turned to Caleb next. “Mr. Caleb! It was truly a pleasure to be a prisoner with you. I hope I haven’t seen the last of you.”

Caleb cleared his throat and held his hand out for Molly to shake. The tiefling took that hand in both of his and shook it once. “Mr. Mollymauk. I wish you the best.” 

Mollymauk pat his hand and then dropped it, turning to Yasha and sighing. “Well, my dear, shall we go home? We have another show tomorrow. Hopefully this one will go better than the last.” He started to walk towards the carnival tent with Yasha following close behind. Before he got out of hearing range, he turned around and bowed with flourish. “Beau, I wish you a fruitful revenge.”

Beau sighed and flipped him off, then turned to Nott who was shuffling her feet nearby. “So… You’re a friend of Caleb’s, huh? And you came to my room to spy on me.”

Caleb opened his mouth to defend his friend but Nott nodded. “Yeah. He didn’t ask me to, don’t be mad at him. I was worried you were gonna hurt him. I didn’t tell him I was talking to you, I didn’t tell him what you told me.”

Caleb twiddled his thumbs. “She did tell me about your hiding place in the false drawer bottom. You should move it if that bothers you.”

“I don’t…” Beau bit her lip to smother a smile and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do that. Thanks for telling me. And what was your name? Nott?”

“Nott the Brave.”

Beau nodded. “Nice to meet you for real, Nott the Brave.” Nott nodded and turned to Caleb who opened his mouth to speak again but was stopped once more when Jester came over and started talking to them both. Beau stepped away to give them privacy and ended up standing next to Fjord.

Fjord cleared his throat and turned to Beau, holding out his hand for her to take. “Beau, right? I’ve heard a lot about you from Jester.”

She hesitated, but shook his hand. “Fjord? Yeah, I’ve heard about you too.”

Jester stepped up beside her and grinned. “Are we ready to go?”

Beau cleared her throat and nodded. “Sure. Let’s go find the carriage. Caleb, Nott, let’s go.”

Jester giggled and waved at her half-orc friend as they walked away. “Bye bye, Fjord! I’ll see you at market later this week!”

He gave the tiefling a smile and waved. “Bye, Jester.”

The carriage was gone when they got back to where it’d been parked. Beau sighed and crossed her arms in displeasure. “The driver must have taken it back home to tell my mother and father what happened. I guess we’re walking.”

Gustav looked up when he heard the flap of the tent flutter open. He grinned when he saw Yasha and Molly walk in. “Ah! I’m so happy you’re alright, Mollymauk!” He pulled the purple tiefling into a hug and kissed his cheek as he pulled away. “Yasha, darling, we’ll be stepping up security at the next few shows. I’ve already spoken to some locals about hiring on for a few days.”

Yasha nodded and Molly grinned. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry about what happened before occurring again. The genasi gentleman who caused that stir has seen the error of his ways. He won’t be bothering us again.”

“Excellent, excellent.” The flap opened once more and two crownguards in full gear stepped inside, their eyes instantly zeroing in on Gustav. “Ah, hello, gentlemen! I’m sorry, but we’ve closed for today because of the events of this morning, we’ll be back up and running in full swing tomorrow morning with the best show in Exandria!”

The guards glanced at one another. “Are you the proprietor?” one asked.

“I am indeed. Gustav is the name, how can I help you?”

“You and the rest of these freaks are under arrest for the kidnapping of Beauregard Lionett, by order of the Lawmaster.”

The walk took hours.

By the time the gates came into view down the road, it was dusk. Nott climbed up Caleb’s back beneath his coat and hung off of him to hide from view as guards started rushing towards them.

“Young Miss! Everyone heard what happened. Your parents were so worried.”

“I’m sure they were. Let’s just get this over with, alright?” She stepped over the boundary and then turned around to watch as the guards lit the two candles at once. All the weight that had fallen from her shoulders that morning had piled back on two fold. Part of her almost wished that she had never gotten that taste of freedom. It would be too long before she could taste it again. 

Caleb put a hand on her shoulder and she nodded, turning to walk with him back up the house. Jester separated from them halfway through the yard, taking Nott in her arms. “I have to go through the service entrance, I’m not allowed to take the main door. I’ll take Nott with me and make sure she gets up to your room okay.” She paused briefly to give Beau a one armed hug and then turned away. “I love you, Beau!”

“Love you, Jes.”

“I don’t understand why you came back,” Caleb said when they were alone. “You were free. The Gentleman might have helped you for your information instead of whatever it was that he promised you.”

“I can’t leave yet. My parents will never let me go, they will hunt me down and drag me back. And when I leave, I’m taking Jester with me. I can’t put her at risk like that either, not again.”

Caleb nodded and they both started towards the front entrance once more. “What happened last time? What did they do the first time you ran away?”

Beau waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Clearly it’s holding you back.”

Beau didn’t respond for a moment but finally she cleared her throat. “Someone… Someone helped me. My parents accused her of kidnapping me, threw around some money at some piece of shit city officials, and now she’s in jail.”

“Jester’s mater?”

She sighed. “Yeah. She’ll spend the rest of her life behind bars. That’s what happens when people give a fuck about me. I will not let it happen to anyone else, even if I’m stuck here for the rest of my life.”

“So this thing with the Gentleman…”

“It’s for us as much as it’s for him. When we take my parents down, he gets revenge for this woman he loves and they won’t have the resources to pursue us anymore.”

Caleb frowned. “Is that really the reason you haven’t left?”

She paused mid-step at the top of the entrance stairs and sneered at him. “The fuck you talking about?”

“I understand how one could get comfortable in their prisons. I understand that you might be scared of facing life outside the world you know.”

She stepped up in front of him. “Let me make this perfectly clear. I’m not scared of anything. I’m getting out of here one way or another but I want it to be on my terms. I don’t want Jester to end up right next to her mother in jail because I didn’t think ahead for her. I’m setting us both up for a life, a real life, outside of this godsforsaken place.”

Caleb still felt unconvinced but he nodded. “If you say so.”

“I do.”

“Then let’s get to it, ja?” 

Beau threw open the main doors of the house and strut inside. “Let’s get to it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Mollymauk is behind bars once again. Sorry about the long breaks between chapters. My access to a computer has been tenuous. Everything should pick up now that the holidays are nearly over. I hope you're enjoying the story!


	10. Chapter 10

The rhythmic banging from down the hall woke Nott up the next morning. She frowned and sat up, looking around the room. Caleb was getting dressed at the end of the bed and he winced after a particularly loud bang.

“What’s going on?” Nott asked, drowsily.

“Beauregard’s mother locked her in her room after yesterday. ‘For her own protection’ or so she says.”

Nott grunted in annoyance and pulled the blanket up over her head. “Beau’s parents suck.”

Caleb sighed and finished tying his shoe. “Yes, they certainly do. I’m going down to fetch some breakfast, is there anything you want?”

“Bacon. Bring some for Beau, I’ll take it to her.”

Caleb seemed surprised by that but nodded. “Okay,” he said as he left the room. He walked down the stairs and easily found the kitchen. Breakfast had come and gone but there were plenty of left overs strewn across the counters.

“You should have seen their faces when they walked in and realized they didn't have to fight.”

Calab frowned and looked around , catching sight of Beau propped up on the counter with her feet folded under her as Caduceus was sorting food into bags. “Beau?” he asked. He paused and listened closely but there was definitely still thumping coming from the direction he’d come. “I thought-”

She looked up at him and waved dismissively. “Are you kidding? I learned how to pick that lock when I was nine years old.”

“Then what is that sound?”

“I paid some of the servant’s kids to make as much noise as they wanted. Right now I think they're taking turns throwing my old dolls at the door as hard as they can. Door’s not even locked any more, they can leave whenever they want.”

He cleared his throat and picked up a plate of hash browns. “Mr. Clay. Good morning.”

The fibolg gave him a sweet smile. “Good morning, Mr. Caleb. I’m just packing up leftovers to be taken to town.”

“Town?”

Beau nodded and hopped off the counter. “Yeah, we always have so much left over. The servants take what they want and whatever is left gets donated in town. Jester is going to take my letter and notes to the Gentleman later today and she’s gonna run these down for us.”

“I take it that this is not your mother’s idea?”

Beau snorted. “Of course not. My mother thinks charity is the worst thing you can do for another person. If you help them how will they ever learn to take care of themselves?” She rolled her eyes. “It was Caduceus’ idea.”

Caleb stepped up to Beau and gently touched her elbow. “I’m glad I ran into you. I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”

Beau raised an eyebrow and looked back at Caduceus who wasn’t paying them any attention. She put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him out of the kitchen and into the pantry. It could hardly be called a pantry, this room was bigger than his guest room. “What is it?”

“Something you said yesterday sort of… resonated with me. Made me think about some things. Right now you and I are sort of… working against one another.”

“That’s one way of putting it, sure.”

“You’re working with the Gentleman to further both of your goals without being detriment to either.”

“Just get to the point already!”

Caleb took a deep breath and nodded. “I want to tell you everything. The reason I agreed to come here, the things I’m looking for. I want to tell you so that you can help me and I will, in turn, help you in anyway that I can to make sure that this scheme with the Gentleman goes off without a hitch.

She gave him an unsure look up and down. “Really? You’re not fucking with me?”

“Nein. I will tell you the truth, everything you need to know to understand what I’m doing here and why.”

Beau didn’t answer right away, which we was surprised about. She was surprising him a lot lately but he hadn’t considered her a think-before-you-act kind of person. “What’s the catch?”

“I think that we should continue this engagement facade for a few weeks longer.”

Beau grimaced. “My mom is already planning the wedding. If we drag this out any longer she’ll start putting in deposits and shit, you can’t get those back. She’ll be pissed at me. She might actually kill me. Well…” she paused thoughtfully like she was actually considering the method with which her mother would kill her. “She doesn’t like to get her hands dirty. She’d make someone else do it, but I would definitely die.”

“Just a week then. This time next week I will be out of your hair forever and you can go back to terrorizing suitors until your winery deal gets on its feet.”

Beau bit the inside of her cheek and started tapping her foot nervously. “Okay, okay, okay,” she mumbled, looking away from him and rubbing her hands together. She seemed to come to a conclusion and nodded. “Deal.” She reached out to shake his hand.

He took it and they shook on it. “Great. Meet me in the library after dinner. Come alone.”

She sneered. “Could you have said that more ominously?” But she turned and left anyway. “See you in the library.”

Jester was talking happily with Caduceus when she stepped out of the pantry. She grinned at Beau when she caught her eye. “There you are! I was just about to head out but I wanted to see you before I left, I won’t be back until late. I’m gonna visit Momma while I’m in town, do you want me say anything to her?”

“Just give her a kiss for me, like usual.”

“Will do, Snuggly-poo.” She giggled at her rhyme. “I have the notebook you gave me and the letter for the Gentleman. Now I have the food for the Food Kitchen. I think that’s everything.”

Caduceus nodded and handed her the boxes of food. “Sounds like everything.”

Caleb stepped out into the kitchen after Beau and frowned as Jester was loaded down with food. “Will you be able to carry that the whole way?”

Jester grinned at him and shifted the boxes into one arm so that she could flex the other. “I’m super strong! Beau and I work out together a lot because there’s, like, nothing else to do around here when there aren’t suitors to chase away.”

“It’s a long trip though.”

“There are staff carriages for stuff like this. It’s not as big or luxurious as the one we took yesterday but it’ll do the job,” Beau said, walking over to take a few boxes from her best friend. “I’ll help you get these to the carriage at least. Caleb, don’t forget our deal.” Then they both turned to leave.

Caleb frowned. “I won’t forget it, it was my idea.”

She just flipped him off while balancing the boxes on her arm and then they were gone out the back door.

Jester hummed happily to herself as the carriage pulled up to a stop in front of the Food Kitchen. A young woman with long red hair that draped elegantly over her shoulders came out the front door with a smile as Jester climbed down.

“Lionett delivery?” she asked, her shy voice quiet in the morning hustle and bustle around them.

“Sure is! Courtesy of Beau Lionett.”

The young woman nodded and started taking a few boxes from Jester. “Was she alright? I heard there was some trouble at the circus.”

“Oh, she’s just fine, it was all a big misunderstanding. Beau’s not gonna let nothing like that get her down!” With her arms full of food she followed the young woman around the back of the shop and into the kitchen which was already a flurry of activity. They sat the boxes down on what little empty counter space they could find and the the young woman walked with Jester back outside.

“Please let Miss Lionett know how much we appreciate her kind donation. I wish so much that she could come down and see all the good she’s done around here.” Jester noticed that the redhead was blushing slightly. “I’ve heard so much about her, is she as kind as they say?”

Jester wasn’t sure what the people in town knew about her best friend, but when she thought about it she could understand why they had romanticized her slightly. All they knew about her was that she was trapped in her home against her will and donated her things to poor people. They didn’t know that she cursed worse than a sailor and was always one wrong word away from punching most people. Maybe they didn’t need to know those parts. “She’s so kind, you have no idea. She’s my very best friend and I love her to bits.”

Jester waved goodbye and climbed back into the carriage, asking the driver to take her to the Gentleman’s tavern. She stepped inside to find it mostly empty at this early hour. The only person inside was the tender at the bar cleaning mugs with a rag. She cleared her throat and stepped inside. “I have a lot of presents,” she said in a hushed whisper. The man gave her an unimpressed look and she suddenly panicked. Had she said it wrong? “I have things to offer? I have… I brought…”

The man sighed and waved his hand. “You come bearing many gifts, yeah, yeah, I get it. Go on in.”

Jester nodded and hurried down the stairs. It had been just over twelves hours she’d been here last the the scene was remarkably changed. There were people laying over tables, fast asleep and snoring loudly. The floor was sticky with spilled ale and she had to step over a passed out patron laying the middle of the floor. The tall goliath woman from the night before was standing resolute beside the empty throne on the platform. Seeing as she was the only person conscious at the moment, Jester made her way over and cleared her throat. “Ah, excuse me? I’m looking for the Gentleman? I have Beau’s notes that she promised him?” The goliath didn’t answer and Jester frowned. “Why won’t anyone talk to me? Lionett! With the winery stuff. I have the notes he asked for.”

A door across the room opened with a bang and a groggy genasi man stood in the doorway, his robe hanging open but thankfully with nothing on display below the belt. “What is all the ruckus?”

There was a blonde elf hanging off his hand arm who yawned and rubbed her eyes. “I’ll go get us some coffee, love,” she said, walking around him as he started towards Jester.

Jester held up the notebook and letter. “From Beau.”

“Ah!” he grinned, his mood turning. “That was quick. It’s nice to know that young Beauregard can be trusted to be prompt at the very least. What was your name again, dear?”

“Jester.”

He nodded absently as he flipped through Beau’s notes. “Jester. Jester what?”

“Lavore.”

He paused. Well, more like froze. His eyes were wide when he looked at her. “Lavore? Any relation to Marion Lavore?”

Jester was put off by the sudden mention of her mother but nodded. “Yes. The Ruby of the Sea, she’s my mother.”

The Gentleman looked her over with a frown. “How old are you, Jester Lavore?”

Jester sneered. She really didn’t like him. “That’s a rude thing to ask.”

He laughed, but it wasn’t a joyful laugh. It was sad and nearly made her feel sorry for him. “Yes, you were certainly raised by dear Marion, alright.”

“You knew her?”

He seemed to be jolted out of whatever reverie he was in and shook his head. “No, no, of course not. I’ve heard of her. Thank you for the delivery, you may go now.”

Jester was still frowning but she left the way that she came and when she climbed back into the carriage she told the driver to take her to one last stop. “The city jail, please,” she called. As the horse pulled her towards her final destination, she couldn’t get the conversation with the Gentleman out of her mind. She barely noticed when she arrived at the jail and walked inside on auto pilot. She’d been here a million times, the old man at the counter just waved her through. Jester hummed and skipped as she made her way down the line of cells to the one she knew held her mother. She peeked inside and grinned. “Momma!”

Marion looked up and smiled softly, sitting aside her knitting and moving to her feet. “Jester! My little sapphire, it’s been so long.”

“I’m sorry. It has been a few weeks. It’s been so busy up at the house.” She slipped her arms through the bars and her mother stepped into them, reaching through the bars to hold each other as close as the metal would allow. She squeezed her face against the bars until her mother moved in to meet her lips. “That’s from me.” She puckered up again and Marion chuckled but leaned in for another kiss. “That one is from Beau.”

“Thank you, my dear, give Beauregard my love. I’m just glad I got to see you.”

“Beau was in town yesterday. Her mother let her go to the carnival.” 

Marion gasped as she pulled away. “Oh, I’m sorry she couldn’t come see me. I heard there was some trouble at the carnival.”

“Yeah, yeah, Beau got kidnapped! By this blue sweaty guy. We had to break in and get her it was super cool.”

“My, that sounds like a grand adventure.”

“Yeah, she ended up saving herself, so it wasn’t as fun as it would have been if we’d killed everyone in a blaze of glory.”

Marion chuckled and reached up to run her hand down her daughter’s hair. “I’m glad you had fun dear. Is she doing better now? I’m so worried about her, stuck in that house with those people.”

Jester sighed and leaned her forehead against the bar in front of her. “She’s… I won’t say she’s better exactly, technically. She shaved the bottom of her hair, or, technically, I shaved the bottom of her hair but it was her idea. She’s more comfortable than I’ve ever seen her now. She made a new friend too.”

Marion looked surprised. “Really? Beau?”

Jester giggled. “Yeah, yeah, his name is Caleb and they played a fun game the other day. She likes him even though she pretends she doesn’t. He has a goblin for a mom. But she’s super sweet, she’s not like other goblins.”

Marion didn’t seem to understand but she smiled and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “That’s very nice, dear. Have you made any new friends?”

“Well… you know about Fjord. I really like Caleb and Nott too, they’re super great. Ooh, and at the carnival I met some people named Yasha and Mollymauk.”

A voice called out from farther down the line of cells. “Was that my name I heard?”

Jester blinked in surprise and pulled away from her mother. “Molly?”


	11. Chapter 11

Caleb was pacing around the lower level of the library, fidgeting with his fingers. He took a deep breath and then summoned Frumpkin out of the ether. He held the cat close and ran his fingers up and down the cat’s spine as it purred in his arms. “I’m sorry I’ve kept you away,” he whispered into his cat’s fur. “I just need you right now.”

He pet his cat in silence for a few minutes before his silence was shattered by a heavy thump as Beau jumped down from the top level and landed a few feet away from him. “Where the fuck did that cat come from?” she asked, confused.

Caleb frowned and turned so that the cat was facing away from her. “This is my cat. His name is Frumpkin. He can disappear when I need him to. I’m just feeling… Well, I needed him to comfort me.” Beau was looking intently at the cat and Caleb suddenly realized that, other than the horses that pulled the carriage, there were no animals at the estate. “Do you want to pet him?” he asked, hesitantly holding the cat out towards her.

She reached out and slowly unrolled her fingers. She sat her hand on the cat’s head and he rubbed up against it, purring loudly at her. She smiled slightly and started to slowly pet his head. She cleared her throat and shook her head, snatching her hand back to her side. “Don’t distract me. You said you were going to tell me the truth.”

Caleb nodded and looked around like he was double checking that they were alone. He poofed his cat away and Frumpkin disappeared in a flash of light. He moved over to take a seat in an upholstered chair in the corner. Beau rolled her eyes but moved over to sit the twin chair next to him. “I’m going to tell you the story of how I murdered my parents.” He hadn’t spoken about this in years, even Nott only knew he blamed himself for their deaths and not that he was the one who actually did it. He looked up to see Beau’s reaction but she was just watching him evenly. “When I was younger, I grew up in a small township outside of Rexxentrum called Blumenthal. My mother’s name was Una. My father’s name was Leofric. Everyone was very excited about me when I was young. I was bright and confident. People used to say that I glided through life and everything just worked for me. As I got older, it became clear that I had a knack for the arcane. Everyone talked about this Soltryce Academy, maybe I would go there someday. The way they do things at that Academy, they don’t take all comers, they look for the diamond in the rough and every couple of years they find one. But when I was a young man, adolescent, really, they found three of us.” He looked at Beau again but her face hadn’t changed. He continued. “Anyway, we went there. I studied for a year. I worked so hard. It came easier to me than the other two, but they were also very accomplished. There were other students from other parts of the Empire there, and a little over a year of learning all they had to impart, I met a man named Trent Ikithon. He became our teacher.”

“I know that name.” She said suddenly. Her brows furrowed in concentration. “He came to a party last year. My parents made me meet him.”

Caleb ignored her and pushed his way through the story. “After a year of studying in the main school, Trent handpicked all three of us again, and we left the school proper and went with him to a home out in the countryside where he trained us. It was a good time. We believed in the Empire, we were going to keep it strong. He was cruel. He hurt us a lot. Made us go through extreme circumstances, but we got strong. I also fell in love, but that’s another story.”

“Another student?” The description of Trent reminded her uncomfortably of her father.

He cleared his throat and nodded. “Yeah. We rose through the ranks and it was the Empire over all, and eventually, he wanted to test our allegiance, so strangers were brought in– traitors. Disgusting people, traitors to this empire, and we killed them.” He looked up at her again and her brow was still furrowed but she didn’t seem enraged or disgusted with him yet. “Then he did it again. And again. And we killed them again and again.”

“He made you executioners?”

“We wanted to be.”

She opened her mouth to speak again but paused and scratched idly at her hairline. “Damn. I thought my life was fucked up.” She cleared her throat. “And one day he brought in your parents, right?”

“No. We were ready to graduate, and the last test of our allegiance was– I’m getting ahead of myself. I went on a trip home and visited my parents and when I was there, in the middle of the night, I awoke and overheard them talking, and went to the stair and listened to them talk about revolution and tearing the Empire down, and I felt disgrace and shame for my family. My mother and my father, who were so wonderful to me when I was a child, and were so happy for me to go to the Academy and believe in the Empire so much. I went back to the school and when the three of us were summoned and told what was expected of us, I knew what had to be done. We went to this other boy’s home first, Eodwulf, and we stood by as he killed his parents. We went to Astrid’s house, and had dinner with them, and she poisoned them. Then we went to my home and we grabbed a horse cart, and in the middle of the night, placed it against the door to the home and I set it on fire.”

“This was a loyalty test,” she said, looking at him now. “You had to do this to graduate?”

“Yes.”

“What happened then?”

He shrugged. “I graduated. I worked in research and development for a while and about a year ago I was made a teacher. They were talking about making me… become a mentor.”

“Like Trent.”

“Like Trent. They wanted me to start picking students and I realized I’d run out of time.”

“Time for what?”

“Ever since the night I killed my parents… When I heard them scream I realized that I was wrong. That I was fucked up, as you would say. I tried to run in to help them but the other students held me back. Ever since then I’ve been planning and researching to find a way to…” he paused and looked away.

“To go back,” she said. “You want to go back.”

“I discovered about a year ago a book called ‘Calamatis’. There’s no known author and only one surviving copy. I have reason to believe that it’s in your father’s possession. When they asked me to start mentoring I decided to pull some strings, get your mother to invite me here, and find the book.”

Beau frowned thoughtfully. “If he does have something like that it won’t be in here, that’s for damn sure. He collects acane things, weird shit, and he keeps it all locked away in his secret study.” She moved to stand up and he reached out to grab her arm.

“So you’ll help me?” he asked, shocked. “You’ll help me find the book even after-”

“Well, yeah, I said I would didn’t I? Caleb,” she sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I’m really not the best person for this. He’s hurting people. You just told me, you realize you have a responsibility now.”

“Which is?”

“To take that mother fucker down!”

“That’s why I need that book.”

She frowned. “Is that book gonna take him down?” she asked. “Is that really why you want it?”

“Among other things.”

“What are you hoping is in this book?”

He sighed and met her eyes. “Anybody can make lights. Anybody can send a message through wire. I want to bend reality to my will.” 

“Do you realize how much responsibility that is? You really want to have that much power?”

“Are you going to help me or not?”

She started to say something but groaned in frustration and turned away. Caleb started planning the quickest way out of town but she turned back to him and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll help you get the fucking book.”

“And obviously, please keep this secret.”

“Who the fuck am I going to tell?” He gave her a serious look and she waved dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep it secret. It’s nothing to be ashamed of though.” His own laughter surprised him and she gave him a sad look. He hadn’t thought that Beau’s face was capable of making that kind of face. “We’ll figure this out.” She started towards one of the ladders that lead up to the top but they both froze when library door was thrown open violently. 

Caleb had a spell called to his fingers before he realized it but let it fall away when he recognized Jester’s face.

“Beau?” she called, gasping and leaning against the railing. “Beau!”

Beau stepped away from the ladder and into her line of sight. “Jes? What’s the matter?”

“Molly! Molly and Yasha! Your parents had the entire carnival arrested!” She hurried over to the nearest ladder and climbed down to her. “Like my mother! They got arrested for kidnapping you!”

“What, all of them?”

Jester made it to the bottom and was gasping to catch her breath as she stopped in front of her friend, shaking her head. “Gustav, the flashy elf guy you saved? He was convicted of the kidnapping, like my momma. No bail, in jail for life. Everyone else they called accessories to kidnapping. Five years.”

Beau frowned. “How much is bail for the whole lot?”

“4000 gold for everyone. 200 each.”

Beau bit her lip and turned to stare out the window. “Shit,” she hissed.

“We have to help them, right? They helped save you, they came back for you.”

Beau frowned but nodded. “I know. I’m just… Shit, shit, fuck.” She turned sharply and started climbing up the ladder.

“Are you going to take the money from your parents?” Caleb asked, curiously as he moved to follow along.

“No, they’d notice.”

Jester and Caleb exchanged a glance but followed her up to the second level and then down the hall to her bedroom. She huffed as she flipped her mattress over and onto the floor. Strangely, the mattress jingled. “Beau?” Jester asked. “What are you doing?”

She started to dig through a hole in her mattress and tossed out bags of coins. “I’ve been saving this up for years. Whenever I could find loose coins around the house, or if I thought I could get away with sneaking a little bit away.” One bag clanged against the floor at Jester’s feet. Two, three, four. As Beau pulled out the final bag and tossed it to her she sighed and leaned back against the mattress with her legs stretched out in front of her. “Should be 4300 in there, I want my change back.”

Jester’s jaw dropped and she looked between Beau and and money. “Really? You want to spend your savings?”

The girl shrugged. “Whatever, I have tons left. It’ll be fine. Just take it down to town tonight, I don’t want it in this house in case someone finds it. Stay in a hotel, a nice one with a safe. Lock it in and pay the bail in the morning.”

Jester scooped up the bags and hid them under the fluffy dress. She nodded. “Right away. And Beau… I love you.”

Beau smiled at her and waved. “I love you too. Tell Molly to go fuck himself.”

Jester left the room and Caleb came over to help Beau right her mattress. “How much do you really have left?” he asked when she collapsed, exhausted, on the fussed mattress. 

“Ten gold.”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “That was for you and Jester, wasn’t it?”

“Well, it’s not like I had much choice. I can’t just leave them in there because my parents are pieces of shit. Besides, The Gentleman is going to set aside some of the profit from the winery. We won’t be penniless at least.”

Caleb nodded and looked between her and the open door. “About what we discussed?”

Beau dismissed him with a wave. “Yeah, yeah. I’m working on it. We can’t do shit while my dad’s in his office, I need to think of a way to distract him. This may all take more than a week if we want to do it right. So much for you getting out of my hair.”

He cleared his throat and started towards the door. “Thank you, Beauregard.”

“Fuck you. Get out.”

Caduceus woke up the following morning and stretched as the rising sun filtered in through his window. Birds chirped in the tree outside and he stopped to refill the feeder he kept there. “Hello, birds,” he said, smiling at them. He got dressed at his own pace. He was technically off today, but injuries wouldn’t wait until Monday and since he was going to be spending his day in the herb garden which was right out the exit door of the infirmary, he might as well be prepared for someone to wander in looking for assistance. He picked up his straw hat and his gardening tools and left his room, humming to himself as she walked the empty halls to the infirmary. There was already someone inside when he pushed open the door and he frowned sadly. “Beau? Are you okay?”

She turned to him and wiped at the blood that was leaking from her lip down her chin. Her eye was red and quickly swelling and her cheek was turning a nasty color of blue. She gave him a grin and then winced when the movement pulled at her injured lip. “Course I’m fine. Look at me, I’m the picture of health.”

He sighed and sat down his supplies to walk over to her. He took her face and gently turned it this way and that. “I take you’ve already seen your father this morning?”

She cleared her throat and finally looked away, but nodded. “Yeah. Trina left. Went to work for a new winery that just opened up in town. He called me into his office to work out his frustrations.”

He reached up and ran his glowing thumb over her lip until it healed completely. There was still a red stain leading from her injury and down her chin and neck. “This is getting worse, Beauregard. You asked me to let you handle it and I will, but at this rate he will kill you.”

He healed the cut on her eye and the swelling deflated back to normal. She reached up to pat his hand reassuringly. “I’ve got it handled, Deucie. I promise. I’m not dying in this goddamn house even if I have to crawl my way out in the end.” She reached up to give his shoulder a friendly squeeze and moved to leave.

“That’s not better, Beau. Just because you smirk when you say it doesn’t make it better.”

She shrugged and didn’t look back at him. “Makes it feel better. I’ll take what I can get. Thanks, Deuce, I’ll see you later.”

Beau left the infirmary and walked out the main door to see if she could meet Jester coming back from the prison. She walked out to the gates and started pacing along the boundary as she waited for her friend to appear. She heard the horses before she saw them rise up over a hill. She stepped out of the road and the carriage came to a stop in front of her. “Jes?” she called, giving the driver a quick wave. “Morning, Jim,” she said, reaching for the door and pulling open.

Jester scrambled out of the cabin and shut the door behind her before Beau could look inside and gave her friend a strained smile. “Beau! I wasn’t expecting you to meet me here.”

Beau frowned and tried to reach around her. “What are you hiding?”

“Nothing! Nothing, why would you think I was hiding anything?”

“Because you’re acting squirrely.”

“That’s not squirrely, this is squirrely.” She pulled back her lip to show off her buck teeth and started chittering like a rodent.

Beau chuckled. “Very cute, but seriously, Jes, what’s-”

She pulled open the door and a body fell out. Molly stumbled as he tried to catch himself and then posed like nothing had happened. “Hello, Beau! Good to see you again. How are you?”

Beau frowned and turned to Jester who was biting her lip and avoiding her eyes. “What is he doing here?”

“Yasha is here too,” Molly said, pointing in the carriage. A large pale hand just reached out of the door and gave a little wave before going back inside.

“Jester, what are they doing here? I thought you were going to free them and then send them on their way.”

“Well, see, since Gustav doesn’t have any bail we couldn’t get him out. And without Gustav there’s not really a circus. So Gustav closed the circus and Molly and Yasha didn’t have anywhere to go so…”

“So your friend kindly offered us jobs at your mansion here!” Molly said, grinning like he didn’t notice Beau’s distress.

Jester grabbed her arm when she saw Beau’s hand start to form a fist. “Listen, just listen, okay? Don’t be upset. Your parents don’t even know what they look like, they won’t realize who they are.”

Beau sighed heavily and scrubbed angrily at her face. “Fine! Fine. I’ll think of something. In the meantime, you two fuckers stay the hell out of sight. If my parents see you before I can think of an excuse for you to be here they will kill you. I’m not kidding.”

Molly bowed with a flourish. “Your wish is my command, Boss Lady.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I knew it would bother you, Boss Lady, that’s why I said it.”

Beau frowned and waved at the carriage. “Just get in. Jim, back to the house please?”

They all squeezed into the carriage and Beau couldn’t even enjoy the fact that her thigh was pressed against Yasha’s because in her mind all she saw was all the ways this could go terribly wrong.


	12. Chapter 12

“I've figured it out,” Beau said sitting down at the kitchen nook table later that day. The table was situated by the window and was intended for servants to take their meals but right now Molly and Caleb were sitting across from one another with Jester sitting in the third chair across from Beau. Molly and Yasha had been hiding out in the kitchen all day since it was the only room Beau could think of that her parents didn't give a shit about. Everyone looked up at her when she sat down.

“Our new jobs?” Molly asked.

“My book issue?” asked Caleb next.

“The Gentleman and your parents?” suggested Jester.

Beau groaned and pressed her fingers to her forehead. “Fuck. I've got so much to do. You jackasses will be the death of me, the most complicated thing in my life used to be fucking with my suitors enough to make them leave without killing them accidentally.” She took a deep breath in through her nose and pointed at Molly. “You. My mother has been trying to convince me to hire a personal assistant. Congratulations, you got the job.”

Molly took a bite of his food and looked intrigued. “What's it pay?”

“Not enough to make it worth it.”

“I'll take it.”

“Yasha will be my personal bodyguard. I'll tell my mother that the kidnapping shook me and I wanted extra protection. I might throw in a couple crocodile tears just to make her uncomfortable enough not to ask too many questions.” She paused and looked around the otherwise empty kitchen. “Speaking of, where the fuck is she?”

“Caduceus mentioned a garden and Yasha wanted to pick some flowers.”

“I told you not to go wandering off.”

“She's fine, we can see her from here.”

Beau frowned but leaned over Molly's shoulder to look out the window. Sure enough, she had a clear view of Yasha and Caduceus puttering around the garden, talking quietly. 

“Alright, well, I need to introduce you both to my mother.”

Jester frowned at her. “You've been so stressed. We need to do something fun tomorrow.”

“I'm fine.”

Molly clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “You're not fine. You're getting a wrinkle, right here.” He reached out to touch her forehead right between her eyebrows and she smacked his hand away. “As your personal assistant I suggest you take a break.”

“I can't take a break, there's no time.”

Molly gave her a considering look. “We could just get drunk. That's a good start. There's always time to get drunk.”

Jester frowned. “I don't think we should be using alcohol to solve our problems.”

“Alcohol isn't for solving problems,” Molly agreed. “It's for forgetting about them.”

Suddenly, Jester gasped and clapped her hands excitedly. “We could go to the hot springs! There’s a beautiful hot spring in the hills at the back of the estate. Oh, come on come on, Beau, we haven’t been since your fourteenth birthday!”

Beau frowned. “That was your fourteenth birthday. For mine we sledded down the stairs in boxes and I got a concussion.”

Jester waved dismissively. “Whichever, not the point.”

“Besides, it’s the middle of summer, it’s eighty degrees out. This isn’t exactly hot springs weather.” 

“We should go anyway. Oh, it’s so relaxing, it’s perfect. Plus, now we’re old enough we don’t need to wear our bathing suits anymore.”

Molly got a glint in his eye that chilled Beau to the bone. “Are you suggesting skinny dipping in a hot spring? My, Jester, you’ve got a bit of a wild streak, haven’t you?”

She smirked back at him and giggled playfully. “You’ve got no idea.”

Caleb grimaced. “Nott won’t like that.”

“Well, she doesn't have to go in the water if she doesn’t want.”

Molly turned back to Beau. “As your personal assistant I am ordering you to go to the hot springs.”

Beau gave him a bewildered look. “Hey, you don’t give me orders. I’m the boss here.”

“That remains to be seen.”

“Fuck you.” She made the mistake of looking at Jester and got caught in her puppy dog eyes.

“Please?” Jester asked, clasping her hands in front of her as her bottom lip wobbled.

Beau looked away and hid her face. “Fine.”

“Woot!” Jester cheered, dropping the act right away. “I’ll invite Fjord.”

Beau huffed in annoyance and got to her feet. “I’ll go get Yasha and then you,” she pointed at Molly and he pointed back because he’s a little shit. “-and her and I are all going to meet my mother.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“Oh, it’ll be a blast, for sure. Come on, obnoxious one, we’ve got shit to do.” She left out the exit door with Mollymauk trailing behind her, strutting like he had no worries in the world. Yasha tensed and looked up when they got near but her shoulders relaxed when she saw them. She held up a fist full of flowers and Mollymauk gave her a kind smile. 

“They’re lovely, dear.” 

Yasha pulled a small book out of her pocket and started setting the flowers inside as Beau started to tell her what they’d discussed. 

“Molly is gonna be my personal assistant. My mother has been hounding me to get one since I was sixteen. I’m going to tell her that the kidnapping attempt scared me and that I hired you to be my personal bodyguard.”

“Will she believe that something like that would scare you?” Molly asked. “Because you didn’t seem scared at all, you challenged the guards to an arm wrestling match no more than two minutes after they locked us in.”

Beau shrugged. “She doesn’t know shit about me, she’d believe I farted rainbows if I said it seriously enough. That okay with you Yasha?”

Yasha nodded and got to her feet, all of her new flowers carefully pressed. “I like it actually,” she said. “It’s like my job at the carnival, I get to protect people.”

Beau blushed slightly and cleared her throat. “Yep, it’s just like that. Come on, I need to introduce you to my mother.” She lead the carnival duo back inside through the infirmary door and up the stairs of the south wing to her mother’s office. Inside the office, it was a flurry of reds and pinks and white carpet that she wasn’t allowed to track mud on on pain of death. She paused in the threshold and wiped off her bare feet on the darker hall carpet before taking a step inside. Molly and Yasha exchanged a glance but removed their shoes, sitting them beside the door. “Mother,” Beau called.

“In here!” her mother’s voice called through the curtained archway on the opposite wall. 

Beau lead her new friends farther into the office and pulled back the curtain to reveal her mother sitting at a large writing desk, delicately signing Beau’s signature on gold leafed wedding invitations. 

Beau held in the distressed noise she wanted to make and just shook her head. “Mother, this is my new personal assistant and bodyguard. I just hired them and I wanted to introduce them to you.”

Her mother looked up suddenly and the excitement on her face dulled as she looked Molly and Yasha over. Her scorn was particularly trained on Molly. “Personal assistant, you say? What experience do you have? Give me your references.”

Molly opened his mouth to speak but Beau stepped forward with her hands on her hips. “No, I already vetted and hired them, I’m only bringing them here as a formality so that you don’t think they’re thieves when they’re walking around the estate and have them arrested.” Have them arrested again, but she didn’t say that. “I’ll be taking more responsibility with the business and the estate and these are my first hires.”

Her mother frowned and got to her feet. “Well, I certainly appreciate that you’re taking more interest in the business, darling, but is now really the time to be jumping in head first? You have a wedding coming up in a few weeks, perhaps you can make your first hires after that.”

“Caleb is supportive of my choices,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “He said that he’d be happy to take over my responsibilities with wedding prep if I wanted to focus on the winery.” Sorry Caleb, though not that sorry.

Her mother raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Your fiance wants to look at flower arrangements and taste wedding cakes?”

Well, no, but Beau didn’t want to do that either but her mother hadn’t bothered to ask her that question. “He can’t wait.”

Georgina sighed and waved her hand as she walked around the desk. “Very well. But I do have an issue with you hiring a bodyguard, all security hires have to go through the head of guard. She’ll need to be vetted by Kassandra.”

“Mother, four members of the family guard betrayed me, or have you forgotten?” She did what she could to bring tears to her eyes. Think about Jester crying. Water started spilling down her cheeks. “I was kidnapped. I think that I will feel far safer with a personal bodyguard who is loyal only to me.”

At the first sign of tears her mother took a large step back and her nose scrunched up in distaste. “Very well. But the first time either of them causes trouble your hiring privileges are revoked indefinitely.”

“My good lady,” Molly started, smiling charmingly. “All that we want is to serve dear Beauregard to the best of our abilities so that she can become the winery mogul that she’s clearly destined to be.”

Beau looked back at him. “Laying it on a little thick there,” she whispered to him. 

He shrugged. “You’re one to talk. I thought you said crocodile tears? You were nearly full on sobbing.”

“Fuck you, Molly.”

“Go fuck yourself, Beau.”

Her mother sighed and turned to walk back to her desk. “Well, as long as you all understand that there will be consequences should you bring disorder on this house. Dismissed.”

Beau didn’t bother trying to say anything more and ushered them all out of the room. She sighed in relief when they were finally back out in the hall and paused to let them both put their shoes back on.

“What exactly does being a personal assistant entail?” Molly asked, zipping up his knee high boots.

Beau shrugged. “Fuck if I know. My mother has a personal assistant named Helena and if looking at her is any indication, a personal assistant is some kind of mix between a gopher, an event planner, a phyciatrist, and a prison warden.”

Molly smirked. “This is the job I was born for.”

“All packed?” Molly asked as he stepped into the kitchen.

Jester grinned and nodded. “Yep! We’ve got plenty of food and drinks to last the whole day at the springs!”

Molly picked up one of the bottles that she had sitting delicately on top of the picnic basket. “Dear, this is sparkling grape juice, not wine.”

“So? What’s the difference?”

“This is nonalcoholic.”

“Well, I like it.” 

He nodded and sat it back in the basket. “Then you can have that. I’ll grab something for the rest of us.” He reached up and grabbed two bottles of wine to join her juice. “There we go.” He wasn’t wearing his usual coat, just a light, nearly see through white top and lace up slacks that could removed and put on with ease, the perfect outfit for skinny dipping. Jester was wearing a light, summery blue dress, her blue hair pulled up in a bun on top of her head, and (Molly was pretty sure) nothing underneath. Caleb walked in next, wearing his usual clothes.

Jester pouted. “Caleb! Are you nervous about being naked? Is that why you’re wearing all those layers?”

Caleb cleared his throat. “No, I have no qualms about being undressed in front of you all. I needed something to hide Nott in.”

“Are we alone?” Asked a voice from inside Caleb’s coat.

“It’s just us, Nott, come on out,” Molly called, closed up the basket and securing the clasp.

Nott’s head poked up out of the back of Caleb’s coat and she grinned at them. “Hello! Is that booze?” 

Fjord entered the kitchen through the backdoor and Jester grinned at him, blushing slightly since he wasn’t wearing a shirt. “Fjord! You made it!”

Molly nodded at Nott, ignoring the new arrival for the moment. “Only the finest.”

“You’re gonna need to grab one more. My flask is nearly empty.” Caduceus entered next, wearing his usual clothes as well but his usual clothes were already light and easy to move in, unlike Caleb’s, so no one mentioned it.

Molly put in a third bottle as Yasha left the pantry with arms full of leftover chicken from last night’s dinner. “As you wish. Where’s the Boss Lady?”

Jester looked confusedly around the kitchen. “She’s not here yet? I just saw her upstairs and she said she was coming right down after she changed.”

Beau entered the kitchen last wearing a loose blue tank top and blue shorts with a large towel thrown over her shoulder. She grinned. “Ready to go? Then let’s head out.”

Jester cheered and threw up her arms. “Hot springs skinny dip party!”

“Shhh!” someone hissed, she wasn’t sure who.

“Oh yeah,” she said quietly. She cheered in a stage whisper. “Woooh. Hot springs skinny dip party.”


	13. Chapter 13

“This,” Beau started, frowning. “-is the perfect metaphor for my life.”

The hot spring that she remembered from her childhood was all dried up. The hole was about fifteen feet in diameter and several dozens of feet deep. With the canopy of trees above them, blocking out the direct sunlight, it was difficult to see the bottom. Jester pouted. “What? What happened to the springs?”

Molly hummed thoughtfully. “Something must be blocking the water. A cave in? Where does the water come from?”

Beau pointed into the forest in front of them. “There’s an underground lake just inside the boundary.” She didn’t look too concerned. “Oh well, it’s not like we were going to do much swimming anyway.”

“I was gonna swim,” Jester said, pouting.

“Jes, it’s too hot for this, I told you. Okay, it’s not as hot as it was yesterday, but it’s still summer.”

“Heat doesn’t bother me much, I would have had fun. What did you come for if it wasn’t to swim?”

“To get drunk in the woods. Obviously.”

Molly didn’t seem put off but Beau’s logic. “Well, let’s go investigate.”

Caleb frowned. “I’m not sure this is the best course of action. You’re not exactly dressed for fucking around underground and possibly clearing a cave in.”

Molly gasped teasingly and started walking forward. “Whatever do you mean, Mr. Caleb?”

“I can see your nipples through your shirt.”

“Flirt.”

“I wasn’t-” Caleb sighed as the others moved to follow the purple tiefling into the trees. He and Nott exchanged a look and then followed reluctantly.

They walked for half an hour through the trees, catching on sticks and rocks with their flip flops. Caleb was right, they really weren’t dressed for this kind of adventure, but no one was gonna tell him that.

“There,” Beau said, pointing to a dark shape in the side of the hill. “That’s the entrance to the caves. You can reach the lake through there.”

Jester nodded and turned to Fjord. “We used to play in there all the time even though we weren’t supposed to.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

“Oh it was, we definitely shouldn’t have done it, it was a bad idea.”

“Do you remember the way?” Caleb asked, stepping up to stand by Beau's elbow.

“Yeah,” she said, unconvincingly. “Sort of. I don’t not remember it, I just need a little refresher.”

Nott climbed up Yasha’s arm and perched on her shoulder like a pissed of bird. “Why is it always water?” she asked, groaning. “Hey, Jester, can I have one of those bottles of wine?”

Jester nodded and reached into the picnic basket on her arm, pulling out a single bottle and handing it up to her. “Here you go.”

Nott pulled the cork out with her teeth and took a heavy swig, sighing as she pulled it away from her mouth. “That’s the stuff.”

“It’s about to get dark,” Beau called. “Be careful of your footing.”

Fjord instantly slipped and cried out as he scrambled to catch himself on the walls. “Shit- Shit!” Caduceus reached out to steady him and Fjord gave him a grateful look.

“Told ya.”

Caleb cleared his throat and cast Dancing Lights. The cave lit up around them and Jester gasped. “Wow…” she whispered, reaching out to touch one. Her hand went right through it but the area was warmer than the air around it. “That’s so pretty.”

Beau lead them deeper into the caves with only Caleb’s spell to light the way. Beau paused at each intersection and considered each for a moment before wordlessly choosing one and walking down it. Caleb kept note of their path so that he could lead them back out at the end.

They spent an hour descending into the caves, slowly and carefully, until they reached the large underground lake. It was easily a hundred feet across and the cave ceiling above them was so high that they could see it.

“Hold up,” Beau said before anyone could get too close. She stepped up to the edge of the lake and bent down, reaching out to touch the surface.

Yasha crouched next to her. “What is it?”

Beau’s fingers touched the water and found it solid. “Frozen. The entire lake is ice. How is this possible? Caleb?” She turned back to him and waved him over. Jester moved to follow him as he walked over but Beau held up a hand. “Wait there, Jes. There could be trouble.”

She frowned but stayed where she was, though she was clearly not happy about it.

Caleb crouched down on Beau’s other side and touched the ice. “This isn’t natural.”

“So, what? Someone came in here and froze the river just to fuck with the hot springs?”

“I doubt that was their motivation. There’s something we’re missing here.” He stood up to full height and Fjord came up behind him as Beau and Yasha stood as well.

“What’s going on?” Fjord asked.

Caleb shook his head. “Something froze the water. The thing is…. I can feel the heat in the walls. I have a layer of sweat under my clothes-”

“Ew.”

“-They probably have to keep refreezing it. Or… perhaps they have a freezing aura that keeps everything around them frozen. See, here, at the edge of the lake.” He bent back down to point at where the ice met the rock. Beau leaned down over his shoulder. “If the ice kept thawing and refreezing there would be a space here between the ice and rock. There is not.”

Beau suddenly straightened back up and started looking frantically around the chamber. “You mean whoever did this is here right now?” she whispered. She looked up when there was movement to her right just in time to see Jester step out onto the ice and start moving slowly forward. “Jes! Jester! What the fuck are you doing?”

“There’s something out there. I can see it.”

“Leave it alone, what are you doing?!”

Fjord stepped out after her and squeaked when he slipped. “Jester, come back.” He continued following her out.

“For fucks, sake, are you both crazy?” Nott asked. “Frozen water is just as bad as not-frozen water! Maybe worse.”

“Shit, shit, shit,” Beau hissed, toeing out of her shoes and stepping on the ice. “FUck, it’s cold. Jester! Jes, leave it alone, let’s get out of here.”

Fjord slipped.

His feet flew up above his head and he crashed down hard on the ice, crying out in shock and pain. “Ahhh! Fuck!”

Everyone froze in silence as his cry echoed around the walls. For a moment nothing happened. Then there was a roar that shook the walls. The ice under Jester’s feet cracked and her foot fell in.

“Ah! I’m stuck!”

Another roar and rocks startled falling from the ceiling. Beau threw herself forward and slid over the ice until she crashed into Jester’s leg and started tugging on her ankle to dislodge her foot. The ice shifted and squeezed her foot and she screamed.

“Caleb!” Beau said, looking back at him as he stood, shock still at the edge of the lake. “Fire!”

Caleb shook his head. “I’ll hit Jester!”

“If you don’t melt this ice she will die here!”

Jester looked back at him and he saw panic in her eyes. “Caleb!”

Caleb nodded and sent out a firebolt. The heat bit at Jester’s skin and scorched the edge of her dress but the ice clamped around her foot melted quickly and she pulled her foot free. Beau scrambled to smother the flames that followed her just as something swooped low above them. 

“Ohhhhh fuck!” Molly exclaimed. “Dragon!”

“Beau,” Jester said. “I can’t stand up, my foot-”

“Shit, shit, shit,” Beau hissed as she held onto Jester and slid them backwards towards the edge of the lake. Yasha picked Jester up easily and Caduceus cast a Healing Word and the angry, peeling skin on her foot healed over. “Let’s go, everyone out!”

Beau and Molly ran towards the entrance back into the caves and stood on either side. “Go, go, go!” Molly exclaimed, waving Yasha on as she carried Jester in her arms. Caduceus followed after her with Fjord close behind. “Nott!”

Nott stood nearby but didn’t move to leave. She looked back at Beau and pointed into the darkness. “Caleb…”

Beau looked where she was pointing and saw Caleb standing on the edge of the lake and staring forward like he didn’t see the world around him. His hand was still raised in front of him from the firebolt he’d used to free Jester but it was shaking. “Caleb!” she exclaimed. “Nott, follow the others, I’ll get him.” Nott didn’t move and Beau stepped in front of her. “Hey, go with others. I’ll get him.” There was a roar and a shard of ice flew at them, crashing into the cave wall nearby and sending rocks crashing down on the frozen lake surface. “Go!” She ran back to Caleb and grabbed his shoulders. “Caleb! Caleb, we have to go!” 

Molly stepped up beside her and grabbed Caleb by the sides of his face, pressing their foreheads together and looking him directly in the eye. “Hey, hey! Look at me. You’re here. Whatever you’re seeing isn’t there anymore and there will time for this later. Live now!” Caleb’s wide opens eyes flicked over to meet his but he didn’t move and Molly gently slapped his cheek. “We are going to die if you don’t move!”

Caleb finally blinked from the sting of the slap and looked at the scene around him as he came back to the present. “Was-” Beau didn’t give him time to reorient himself and just grabbed him by the arm, hauling ass out of the chamber and pulled him behind her. 

Molly pulled up the rear and pressed a hand into Caleb’s back. “Go! Go!”

The cave walls around them shook. The three of them passed by a fork in the road but Caleb knew which way to go and pointed them forward. As they turned a curve they could see the others farther ahead with Caduceus leading the charge, having cast Light on the picnic basket and using it as a lantern.

They were running through the tunnel and splashing loudly, not bothering taking it slow to avoid slipping. Suddenly, another roar and the cave shuttered with enough force to make Beau stumble. Rocks fell down from above and blocked her’s, Caleb’s, and Molly’s escape. They could still hear the others ahead but couldn’t make out the words through the stone.

“Keep running!” she called, in case they could hear her. “We’ll find another way out!”

They turned back to the fork in the road they’d found and Caleb paused at the intersection. “We don’t know where it goes!”

There was the sound of beating wings and then something crashed down near the entrance to the caves. They all looked over and saw the dragon, illuminated in Caleb’s Dancing Lights. It was a baby dragon, about the size of a cow, but it still looked fully capable of freezing and eating them, and worse, it was the perfect size to fit through the tunnels and come in after them.

“It goes away from here! Run!” Beau pushed them both into the second tunnel just as a blast of ice filled the space they’d just vacated. There was no water in this new tunnel which was probably a good thing. It probably would have frozen over around their feet as the baby dragon followed them in. This tunnel inclined up at a faster pace than the one they’d entered through and Caleb felt himself start to feel fatigued but Beau and Molly each took one of his arms and pulled him forward.

Just when it seemed they were outrunning the dragon, Beau crashed hard into an invisible wall that sent her sprawling on the ground and rolling backwards because of the steep slope. She slid to a stop and got back to her feet. Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. She pressed her open palm against the wall and met Caleb’s eyes as he came to the same realization.

“The boundary…” he said. “We must be right under the boundary.”

There was a roar behind them that reminded them they couldn’t stay here. 

“What?” Molly asked, reaching out to grab Beau’s wrist and looked bewildered when he couldn’t pull her forward. “What is it? What boundary?”

“Go,” Beau said instead of answering. “You have to go.”

“We can't just leave you here,” Molly exclaimed, clearly not understanding what was happening.

“You have to. I can’t go forward.”

Caleb and Molly exchanged a glance and then Caleb looked forward into the tunnel. “I know where we are, I have a perfect sense of direction,” he said, breathing deeply. 

“Now is not the time for bragging, Caleb,” Beau snapped.

“I’m not- We’re near the front gate. If we can blow out the candles- I don’t know if we’ll get there in time.”

“Caleb, it doesn’t matter. One way or another, you have to go.”

Caleb nodded and stood up. “Mollymauk, let’s go.”

“What? We can’t just leave her here!”

“The only way we can save her is to get out of here. Trust us. Please.”

Molly looked between him and Beau and then they both ran up through the tunnel, leaving her by herself in the darkness. She leaned back against the boundary and the only sounds were the blood pumping in her ears and the stomping of the dragon in the distance. It was difficult to tell exactly how far it was because of the echo but it wouldn’t be long.

It might have been seconds or minutes but finally she saw the glowing blue eyes of the baby dragon turn the corner. It saw her the moment she saw it. There was a shifting in the darkness and the air around her got colder. A stream of ice shot out of the dragon’s open mouth right towards her.

A second before it hit her the boundary wall at her back disappeared and she fell back, her head cracking painfully against the stone. The ice went right over her face and when she breathed her breath turned right to snow in front of her.

The ice stuttered away and for a moment she wasn’t sure if she was alive, but then the dragon roared again so loudly and so close that her ears rang and she realized that she had to move. She rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself up to her feet and ran forward through the tunnel with the dragon cold on her heels. The tunnel before her was covered in a layer of ice but she used her momentum to slide forward up hill. Finally, she turned a corner and her feet hit stone. There was a light ahead. Daylight. She ran towards it as the dragon crashed along behind her. The tunnel ended abruptly at a cliff but she threw herself off of it and flew through the air, feeling the warm sun on her face.

She crashed down on the dirt and rocks and rolled down the side as the slope pettered off into a hill. She rolled onto her back just in time to see the dragon crash through the exit of the tunnel. It’s wings whipped out at its sides and then she lost it in the canopy of the trees.

She slowed to a stop at the base of the hill, her back bleeding and raw and her head pounding, but alive. There was a roar in the distance, and then another farther away. She closed her eyes and gasped for breath, reaching up with arms that shook from exhaustion to put her hand over her heart and feel it pounding relentlessly in her chest.

“Beau! Beau!”

“Here…” her voice croaked weakly. She cleared her throat. “Here!” She saw a flash of purple as her vision started to blur. “Molly?”

“We’ve got ya, Boss Lady. Don’t move, Jester and Cad are on their way.”

“Nott,” said Caleb’s voice. “We found her, she’s alive.”

Beau grunted as she tried to sit up and Molly rushed to help her, hissing when he saw the state of her back. “Maybe you shouldn’t move.”

“I definitely shouldn’t move, but I’m gonna anyway. Where are the others? Did they make it out? Where’s the dragon?”

“The others are fine, they made it out the way we came in. We filled them in as we were going to the gate and they’re on their way. As for the dragon-” Molly was cut off by a distant roar and Beau followed it with her eyes. She saw a small white figure in the sky, flying quickly away from the estate.

“Well, she’s someone else’s problem now,” Beau said, leaning back against the tree Molly had propped her on. She shivered, still feeling the phantom cold like a coat over her skin. “I don’t know if I’ll ever feel warm again. Where’s the hot spring when you need it?”

“Beau!” Beau looked up as Jester crashed through the trees towards her with the others running in behind. She wrapped her arms tightly around her best friend’s neck, pulling away with arms covered in blood when Beau started hissing in pain. “Oh, fuck! This is bad.”

Beau winced. “Gotta work on your bedside manner, Jes.”

Jester reached out with glowing hands and ran them up the length of her back, Molly watching is fascination beside her as the skin knitted effortlessly back together. When Jester was out of magic, Caduceus slid into her spot and continued working, focusing his efforts on the injuries to her head and arms. Jester turned to Caleb as the wizard paced nearby, twisting his fingers nervously.

When she caught his eye, he looked away, ashamed. “J-Jester… I wanted to tell you how utterly sorry I am for what I did-”

He was cut off what her arms wrapped around him, pinning his own arms to his side awkwardly. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “For saving me. For saving my sister,” she said quietly in his ear. “Thank you, Caleb.”

She didn’t let go and Caleb spotted Nott, crouched on Yasha’s shoulder, smiling widely at him. Yasha was looking as well and briefly mimed wrapping her arms around someone. He hesitated still but lifted up his hands to rest on her back, patting her awkwardly. She just squeezed him more.

“I think,” Molly said, rooting around in the picnic basket. “-we could all use a drink.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It just isn't a critrole story without inexplicable dragons.
> 
> Also wanted to try out some action sequences. They're not my strong suit but I wanted to challenge myself. Hopefully this will all bring them closer together.


	14. Chapter 14

Beau woke up to find Yasha’s face staring down at her. She grinned. “Am I in heaven?”

“Oh, that’s cute,” said a voice that caused her to frown. “You think you’re getting into heaven.”

She groaned. “Fuck you, Molly. Where am I?” She looked around and found that they hadn’t moved It was well passed noon now if she was looking at the sun correctly. She groaned as she moved her sit up, her muscles screaming at her and head still pounding. “Did I pass out?” Yasha was beside her, ready to catch her if she couldn’t hold herself up.

“Yes, about an hour ago. Jester wanted to wait until you woke up to figure out what you wanted to do.”

Beau looked around to find Jester and found her and Nott a few yards away discussing their preferred sandwiches. She didn’t even seem to realize that Beau had woken up. “Do about what?”

“About you,” Caleb said, speaking up behind her. “Beau… you’re out of the boundary.”

“Oh shit…” In all the chaos it hadn’t occurred to her.

She back to look at Caleb to find him pointedly avoiding her eyes. 

“Beau?” Jester looked over and realized that she was sitting up. “Are you feeling better? Mr. Clay and I ran out of spells, we could couldn’t heal everything. Are you still hurt?”

“I’m fine Jes. Thanks. Caleb,” she turned back to him and he looked up at her. “Will you take someone to the gate and relight the candles?”

His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak but Jester spoke first. “What? Beau… You’re free.”

“I know. And now I know that there are people I can trust with my freedom. This spell was made to keep me isolated but it didn’t work. Now I have at least two people who would take the risk of blowing the candles out for me for the first time in my life. It’s not a prison when I have the key. I can’t leave yet but when I’m ready I’m leaving on my own terms. Let’s go back. For now.”

Caleb was woken the following morning but a knock on the door and a cheery voice calling his name. “Mr. Widogast!”

He groaned and shuffled out of bed, still sore and tired from the hectic day before. He paused to throw the blanket over Nott’s sleeping body. He opened the door and saw the last person that he expected. He cleared his throat and reached up to shake out his hair. “Madam Lionett! This is a… surprise. What can I do for you this morning?”

Georgina gave him a look over and visibly suppressed a frown. “Good morning, Mr. Widogast. I have the flower arrangers coming in after breakfast this morning and I wanted to make sure you knew where to go. Did Beauregard tell you?”

“Ah, no. Are we all looking at flower arrangements for the wedding?” Not ideal, but if Beau was there it wouldn’t be so bad.

“No, of course not, Darling. Beau’s working with her father today, getting more into the business like you encouraged her. It’s just us and the flowers today. Come down to breakfast if you would.”

“Will Sir Lionett be joining us?”

“Unfortunately no. That breakfast a few days ago when he joined us was an anomaly. No, he spends weeks at a time in that office. He’s got a cot in there and he has his meals delivered,” she paused and sighed. “Don’t get me started. Join us when you’re ready.”

He watched her until she was gone and then shuffled over to Beau’s room in his house slippers. He knocked furiously on the door. “Beau,” he hissed. “Beau, what the fuck did you get me into?”

The door opened and Mollymauk smirked at him from the threshold, leaning against the door frame. “Mr. Caleb. You look adorably sleep ruffled. Are those cats on your pants?”

“Yes. I like cats. I have a cat. Where is Beau?”

Molly looked over his shoulder. “Hiding from you.”

“I’m not hiding!” called a voice from inside.

Caleb perched on his tiptoes to look over Molly’s shoulder. “Beauregard! Why am I hanging out with your mother all day? Why did she say I encouraged you to work with your father? Beauregard!”

“Ah,” Molly interjected. “That was my fault perhaps. She sacrificed you for me and Yasha, so that we could get jobs here.”

Beau slipped under Molly’s arm. “You think I’m happy about this? My dad got me an office. An office! I’m supposed to put on nice clothes and go sit at a desk all day.”

“I feel no sympathy for you. You got yourself into that.”

“Well, I needed to get close to the business so I can send info to you know who for you know what.”

“Who? What?”

Beau rolled her eyes. “The entleman-Gay for aughter’s-Day inery-Way.”

Caleb sighed and pushed his frizzy morning curls out of his face. “We need like, a code word. If I send a maid or someone up to your office with a code word I need you to come save me. You can do the same if- I don’t know, if your legs atrophy or whatever it is that you’re worried about desks for.”

“Hey, don’t patronize me. Just go change or whatever. If my mother sees you out of your room wearing PJs she will kick you out of this house so fast your head will spin.” He started to walk away but she called out to him. “Hey, what safeword do you want to use?”

One of the servants happened to be walking by and gave them a weird look but Caleb just gave her an awkward smile and waited for her to pass by. “Something we can work into a sentence so it’s not obvious.”

“So, I assume that ‘Save me from your demon-spawn mother’ is not it?”

“No, I think not.”

“Coat,” Molly suggested. “If you need saving send a servant with the message that you want Beau to bring you your coat.”

Caleb waved. “That will work. I’ll see you all later, I suppose? There’s no way I’m getting through this entire day without using the code word.” He started to walk away and Beau turned to Molly with a raised eyebrow. 

“Coat?”

“What’s wrong with it? You need something you won’t scream during sex accidentally.”

“Ew.” She pushed him out of the doorway and back into her room, shutting the door and then walking back towards her bed where she had several outfits laid out.

“Oh, don’t act like you aren’t intrigued by the idea.”

“With you? Fuck no.”

“Not with me, egh,” he visibly shivered in disgust. “I can tell by looking at you that whatever team you’re playing on won’t include me.”

“Just tell me which outfit looks less stupid.”

“They all look equally stupid. Look at what I wear, why did you come to me for this? The best I can do for you is to tell you to wear whatever the fuck you want and act like you have every right to be there.”

“Even for a meeting with important people?” She asked. She bit her lip and looked over the stuffy gray dresses her mother had bought for her.

“Especially for a meeting with important people.”

Beau looked down at what she’s wearing now, a simple blue tank top with loose, baggy pants and no shoes. She smirks and starts for the door. “Let’s go tear this motherfucker down.”

“Atta girl.”

She marched through the halls with Molly sauntering along behind her. She usually only went to the South Wing when she was in trouble, so the simple act of marching up the stairs made her heart start beating faster. She cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes and pushed herself forward. There was a man in a gray suit standing outside her father’s office. He looked up when she got near and frowned at her, looking her up and down. 

“Beauregard? I’m Franklin Kastoc, I’m your father’s personal assistant.”

Beau stopped in front of him and crossed her arms over her chest. “This is Mollymauk. He’s my personal assistant.”

Franklin cleared his throat and nodded. “I was asked to show you to your new office space. There is a closet there, if you’d like to hang up your garments after you change.”

“I’m not changing. These are my clothes.”

He blinked and laughed in shock. “You can’t wear that.”

She grinned and moved passed him. “You gonna stop me? Show me my office.”

Franklin scrambled to catch up, pointing to a door two rooms down from her father’s office. “It-It’s right there. But you can’t go into the meeting wearing-”

Mollymauk grinned and put a hand on his shoulder. “She’s got it from here, gorgeous. Bye bye.”

Beau paused outside the door as Franklin walked away and raised an eyebrow. “Do you just flirt with everyone?” she asked, jiggling the door of her office when it got stuck.

Molly leaned against the wall and grinned. “I only flirt with beautiful people. So yes, I flirt with everyone.”

She sneered. “God, that was cheesy. I thought you had a crush on Caleb.”

He didn’t reveal anything on his face. “What makes you say that?”

“The look on your face when you saw him outside my door in his goddamn cat PJs. I don’t know much about romance, but I know an ‘oh shit’ look when I see it.” The door gave way and she cheered. “Woo! Alright, we’re in business.” Beau opened the door and frowned at room. “Well, this place sucks,” she said, looking over the bare walls and the wooden desk across from her. 

“It’s only temporary,” Molly assured her, frowning as he ran a finger over one of the empty bookshelf shelves. His finger came away covered in dust and he sneered. “Ick. No you’re right, this sucks.”

Beau threw open the window behind the desk and took a deep breath of the fresh air. “This is for Caleb and Jester,” she said. “And it’s only temporary.” She turned to Molly. “Personal Assistant! What’s on my schedule for today?”

He cleared his throat and pulled out a notepad from a pocket of his coat with a flourish. “You have a meeting with your father and the board of the company in an hour. You’re going on a tour of the winery after lunch. Wait, how are you doing that if you can’t leave, I thought there was a boundary whats-it.”

“The main winery is inside the boundary, on the other side of the lot as the springs.”

Molly nodded and continued. “Well, after lunch you’re doing that. Then at eight you, Caleb, Nott, and I are gonna get soused to high heaven.”

“Can’t we do that part right now?”

He pulled a silver flask out of another pocket and tossed it to her. “I’m getting good at this assistant thing.”

Beau caught it out of the air and sighed as she flicked it open. “You certainly are.” She took a swig. She tossed it back to him and he took a drink as well, just as there was a knock on the door. “Come in already,” she called, leaning back against the desk.

The door opened and Franklin was standing on the other side with his arms full of papers. “These are from your father. He wants you to be familiar with these in time for the meeting.”

Beau grimaced but took the papers from him. It would take her days to actually read all of these. “Great. Thanks, now leave.” Franklin left as Beau sat the papers down on her desk and took a deep breath. “Well,” she mumbled, taking a seat in the stiff wooden chair. “I better get started.”

“You’re actually gonna do what your father wants you to do? Beauregard, I’m disappointed.”

“Don’t be stupid. I’m looking for info I can give to… we really need to come up with a code name for him, I can’t be running around here just saying his name out loud.”

“I’ll work on it. Am I just supposed to stand around and wait for you to give me orders?”

“I don’t think you’re capable of something like that. Go… do whatever you want. Just be back in time for the meeting.”

“I’m sure I can find something to keep myself busy.” And he left the room with a grin.

Beau read through papers for the next hour and then stood up and stepped out of the office with several papers held carelessly in her fist, locking door behind her. “Molly!” she called, looking up and down the hall. “Molly? Hey, Fucker!”

A door across the hallway swung open and Molly stepped out into the hall with his coat draped off his arm. His shirt was lopsided and the top three buttons were undone. He was flushed and grinning, running his fingers through his hair to fix it. “Time for the meeting?”

Beau raised an eyebrow and tried to subtly lean over to see into the room. She couldn’t see who else was in there. “Were you with someone?”

“Oh absolutely. Shall we?” He waved his hand ahead of them and put his other hand on the small of her back to try and push her forward. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see Franklin’s head peek out from the open threshold before the door slammed shut.

“Franklin? Really?” she asked, smirking.

“Yes, Franklin. He was… surprisingly open minded.”

“Fix your shit, if you look happy in any way my father will fire you.”

Molly chuckled and started fixing his shirt, then pulled his coat over his shoulders. “You worried about little ol’ me?”

“I went through a lot to get you here. If you get fired on your first day, I screwed Caleb over for no reason. Not that I need a reason to screw with Caleb, but no one deserves to spend time with my mother, not even him.”

“Oh, just admit it, you like me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Just take note of anything you find interesting,” she said. “Even if you think it doesn’t mean anything, if it catches your attention write it down,” she said and then pushed open the door to the boardroom. 

The room was longer than it was wide with a giant ass window at the end that looked out on the vineyard in the distance. The vineyard wasn’t on the estate so she had never been but she always liked looking at it. The room was mostly full of men in robes already, only her father was missing. Every eye turned to her and she grinned waving her fingers at them teasingly as she made her way over to an empty seat next to the one that was obviously reserved for her father. The other men were all standing beside their chairs, waiting for the boss to arrive, but she threw herself into her chair and leaned her elbows on the table. Molly followed along behind her and took a seat in a chair against the wall behind her. One of the other assistants looked at him out of the corner of her eye and he winked. She frowned and looked away snootily. 

The men started speaking quietly in the room once more, trying to keep them from hearing. They failed and Beau was able to pick up most of the conversations but they were mostly about her clothes so she really didn’t care. It was a few minutes before her father entered the room. He looked different in a boardroom than he did in the residence. The times that she had seen him in the dining room or the library or in the yard he had looked stoic, even a little angry at times. In his well pressed blue robes with his salt & pepper hair slicked back… he looked almost dangerous. His eyes instantly snapped to her and it took every ounce of rebellion in her blood not to look away when their eyes met. He didn’t speak and just walked around her side of the table. He paused behind her and reached up to squeeze her shoulder.

“We’ll speak later,” he said quietly.

She looked over her shoulder to meet his eyes once more. “I know.” 

He let her go and continued to his chair, shifting his robes and then taking a seat in his chair. The others moved to sit as well after he was seated. He cleared his throat and spread out several sheets of paper in front of him. “Let’s begin.”

She looked back at Molly and he had a confused and concerned look on his face. ‘What?’ she mouthed. He opened his mouth but then quickly closed it and looked away, flicking his eyes over to her father and frowning.


	15. Chapter 15

“You’ve been holding out on me,” Molly said when they were alone in her office once more. 

She leaned back in her chair and propped her feet up on her desk. “What the fuck do you mean?”

“You didn’t tell me about the boundary and you didn’t tell me about your father, that he’s an abusive son of a bitch.”

She frowned and looked away. “What exactly did you want me to say? ‘Hey, just a heads up, if my father threatens me today during the meeting don’t freak out. He does it all the time and usually follows through’. That’s a great way to start a conversation. Everybody knows about it even if they pretend they don’t, I knew you’d figure it out. Most people aren’t bold enough to ask me about it though, so kudos and fuck you.” She sneered and reached up the rub her forehead. “I’m skipping the winery tour. Let’s go save Caleb and get a headstart on that drinking you promised me.” As she got up from the chair, the door to her office opened and her father stood, shrouded in the doorway. With his wide shoulders, he nearly filled the entire threshold, leaving no escape. The room felt smaller to Beau that it had before but she cleared her throat and shook her head. “Father.”

“Beauregard. I’d like to speak to you alone regarding your choice in attire.” He waved his hand at Molly but didn’t look at him. “You may go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Molly countered, crossing his arms.

Beau’s wide eyes snapped up at him. “Molly,” she said. “Just go, it’s fine.”

“It’s not fine,” he insisted. He met Eston Lionett’s stare and was unnerved to find it blank of emotion. “You’re going to be late,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “For the winery tour.”

“You can do that another day,” Eston said calmly. “I’d like a moment alone with my daughter.”

“My deepest apologies, Sir,” he said, with a smirk to said ‘Get fucked’. “But Miss Lionett has a packed schedule for the next few weeks, this is really the only opportunity.”

Eston’s eyes finally started to narrow in what may have been some semblance of emotion. “Beauregard, where did you find this man?”

“Man?” Molly asked, looking around the room in faux confusion. “Are you hiding a man in here? Is he cute?”

Beau snorted in panicked laughter and covered her mouth. “Molly, let’s just go to that tour, yeah? Before you say anything else.” she said, walking over and gently shouldering her way passed her father in the doorway. “Father, I’ll come by your office later.” She stepped out into the hallway and Molly followed her, pausing a moment to give Eston and sarcastic salute.

“Sir Lionett,” he said. “It was truly a pleasure to meet you.”

Beau grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. “Stop it, before I kill you myself,” she hissed. He chuckled and walked forward with his shoulders back and his head up. He didn’t need to look over his shoulder to feel the searing glare that was being directed at the back of his head. Beau pulled him out of the southern wing and into the residence and the second she was in her own turf she grabbed him the arms and pushed him up against the wall. “What the fuck were you thinking,” she asked venomously. “Are you trying to die? Do you have any idea what my father is capable of?”

“Not in the least,” he said with a careless wave of his hand.

“He’s ruthless, he’s evil, he cares for nothing and no one and will not think of you for a moment after he destroys you.”

“That’s why it’s perfect. I have nothing for him to destroy.”

Beau frowned and dropped her arms to her sides. “What do you mean?”

“Men with money can’t imagine that someone could be happy without it. I have nothing for him to take away that I can’t move on without.”

“Even your life? Is it worth nothing either?”

He shrugged. “Life is cheaper than you’d think.”

Beau opened her mouth to respond but paused when she heard hurried footsteps coming up behind them. She turned just as a maid came to a stop beside her. “Pardon me, Young Miss,” he older woman said with a short curtsy. “Mister Widogast is requesting that you bring him his coat.”

Beau sighed. “Thanks, Gemma. Tell him I’ll be right there.”

The maid nodded and turned to rush away. “Right away, Miss.”

Beau turned back to Molly to scowl at his carefree smirk. “We’re not finished.”

“We are, because you know I’m right. What exactly did you want from me? To leave and let whatever happened to you happen?”

“Yes! Just… Let me handle it, okay? I can handle it on my own.”

“But you don’t have to.”

She frowned and turned away from him to start marching towards the ballroom. “Fuck off,” she mumbled, unsure how else to respond.

The ballroom was easily the most magnificent room in the house. There were hand painted religious sceneries on the ceiling and a chandelier the size of a baby dragon in the center. The wood floor was laid in an intricate pattern of light and dark woods that from up close looked fairly innocuous but from the second floor entrance as Molly and Beau stepped inside, it formed the symbol from the Lionett family crest, a lion’s head with a flaming rose in his mouth. 

Beau peered over the second story railing to see a dozen tables set up around the room, draped with pure white tablecloths, and with several different flower arrangements in artistic vases on each table. There had to be at least fifty different flower options. Beau had never seen so many red flowers in her entire life.

“And these are some beautiful lilies,” said the florist. “They look lovely closed like this, but they all bloom at a certain time in the evening. If we could time the wedding just right, they could bloom at the exact moment the bride and groom seal their love with a kiss.”

Her mother hummed thoughtfully. “That is a lovely idea. And I do love the look of the flowers.”

“Beauregard is allergic to lilies,” Caleb spoke up.

Her mother frowned back at him. “What? No she’s not.”

Beau rolled her eyes. “Maybe we should leave Caleb here. If we help him escape, my mother might deck the whole room out in lilies and I will die halfway up the aisle.”

Molly chuckled. “Oh, even you are not the cruel.”

“Life would be easier if I was.” She leaned backwards over the railing and tumbled over the side, landing on her feet with a bang that echoed around the hall.

Her mother gasped and clutched at her chest, sighing when she recognized her daughter. “Beauregard, I do wish you’d stop doing that.”

Caleb’s face was sotic but there was desperation in his eyes. “Beauregard. Is everything alright? Do you need me for something?”

“Yeah. Mother, can I borrow my… betrothed for a while, please? Very important wedding business.”

Her mother sighed and turned back to the flowers with a wave. “Very well. He’s useless at color coordination anyhow.”

Caleb didn’t even look offended and hurried to follow Beau up the stairs. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“If there are lilies at my wedding and I die at the altar from anaphylactic shock, I’m blaming you,” she said as they met back up with her personal assistant.

Molly followed her and Caleb out of the room and down the hall to a sitting room and then shut the door behind them. “You’ve been talking all day like the wedding is actually gonna happen,” he said. “I thought you were both trying to find a way out of it.”

Beau sighed. “Caleb… I have a plan to help you with your problem.”

Caleb froze in the middle of the floor and looked between her and Molly. “Beau-”

“I’m not going to reveal anything myself, but we need Molly’s help to pull this off. I won’t tell him anything you don’t want me to, but I think you should consider clueing him in a little bit so we can use him.”

Molly raised an eyebrow. “I don’t mind being used, but I’d like to know what I’m being used for.”

Caleb narrowed his eyes at her and made an aborted motion with her hands. Beau rolled her eyes and threw up her hands in exasperation. Molly watched with interest as they had a silent conversation with her faces. “Fine,” Caleb said, after Beau flipped him off. “Fine, I’ll tell him what he needs to know.” Caleb looked at Molly and got a contemplative look on his face. “I need a book.”

Beau huffed in annoyance. “Oh, that was real informative.”

“I need an important book that is in her father’s possession. That’s why I’m here, that’s why we’re engaged.”

“What kind of book? A magic book?”

He hesitated but shook his head. “The book itself is not magic. There is information in it that will lend itself to a magic spell, but the book itself is not magical. Beau, what’s your plan?”

Beau nodded and crossed her arms. “We need to go through with the wedding.”

Caleb just blinked at her in silence for a moment. “I-I’m sorry, I think I misheard you. You want to get married to me?”

“Fuck no! I said go through with the wedding, not the marriage. I’m definitely leaving you at the altar. If my dad does have the book, it’s in the hidden room in his office, that’s where he keeps all his magical shit. I only saw it once and I definitely wasn’t supposed to know it was there. He has a key that he keeps on his person at all times. On the day of the wedding, I’ll send Molly to help my father get dressed and while you have him distracted, you know, by being obnoxious, Nott will steal the key out of his pocket. Then you’ll go up to the room. I don’t know what the book looks like. Caleb, you got any idea?”

The wizard shook his head. “I’m only marginally certain that it even exists.”

“Great. So we’re risking everything on the off chance the book you need is even real. Just grab every book you see. I’ll see if I can get a haversack or something so that you’re not running around the house with a shit ton of books in your arms. You know what, while you’re at it, you can just fill the damn thing up. All the cool shit in there, just shove it in and bring it with us.” She pointed between her and Caleb. “We’ll keep everyone busy at the wedding. Come up with the longest, most annoying vows you can and then repeat the whole thing in zemnian if you have to. We cannot let Caduceus complete the Ceremony.”

“I assume you have a plan to escape?” Molly asked, falling down into an upholstered chair and crossing his legs.

She hesitated and crossed her arms. “That part is a little fuzzier. I need Nott and Jester to go blow out the candles after the wedding march starts then wait there for us to catch up. I need Fjord to secure passage across the lake for us from the Gentleman. When you come downstairs I need you to give us a signal and then we all need to book it out of there.”

Caleb looked uncertain. “There are a lot of moving parts in that plan. There are a lot of things that could go wrong.”

Beau sneered and leaned against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. “I know! I know, but I have nothing else. I’ve been thinking about this for days and that’s what I came up with. If you can think of something better let me know or shut the fuck up.”

Nobody spoke for a moment until Molly cleared his throat. “I have a question. When you say ‘give us a signal’ what kind of signal?”

Beau rolled her eyes. “I don’t fucking know. Do a weird whistle. Create a goddamn scene. Have fun with it, just make sure we see it.”

“When is this wedding?” He asked next. “It must be months away, we have time to think.”

Beau shook her head. “My mother doesn’t want to risk Caleb getting cold feet. She has event planners working around the clock and she sent out the invitations that day I brought you to meet her. I can ask her for the exact day at dinner but I think we have, at most, two weeks.”

“Two weeks,” Caleb muttered, rubbing his hands together nervously.

“Think you can wait that long for your book?” Molly asked.

Caleb nodded slowly. “I've waited fifteen years. Two weeks is nothing.”

Molly looked thoughtful for a moment and frowned. “And that’s assuming her father has the book at all. What makes you think it’s here?”

“It used to be in a library called the Cobalt Reserve.”

“Used to be?”

Beau spoke up next. “Burned down. Like, sixteen years ago, it was big news.”

Caleb nodded. “Most of the books were lost, but the really rare, dangerous ones were kept in an underground stone bunker which survived. The books were being transported to a more secure place and were stolen. One of the books was found after a man named Kistric Falin died. It was part of his private collection and it was revealed by the following investigation that the stolen books had been sold off for an ungodly amount of money. The Crownsguard investigation hit a dead end and they just let it drop, they didn’t really care.”

“You picked up where they left off and it lead you here?” Beau asked, crossing her arms. “My father was one of the people who bought some of the stolen books.”

He nodded. “In fact, he was the only one that I knew was there but I couldn’t account for his purchases. There were five people there buying the books. One of them, Kistric, died obviously. His daughter was there but she didn’t buy anything. Horin Lately bought three books and Janie Yearn bought five, none of which were it. Your father has to have it.”

Beau got a curious look on her face and sat down in the chair next to Molly, leaning forward and propping her arms on her knees. “Who stole the books in the first place? Who was was selling them?”

“I don’t know who stole them, but somehow they got in the hands of a High-Richtor named Prucine.”

“What are the chances Prucine kept it?” She asked. “You’re certain that all of the books were sold off?”

“I-No, I’m not. I wasn’t expecting finding the book to be this involved.”

“You thought someone was just gonna keep a stolen book they’d spent a fortune to obtain in their main library. You really don’t understand rich people, do you?”

Jester smiled at the stand worker as she took the bundle of mushrooms for Mr. Clay. “Thanks!” she said bright, handing over the money. She had everything that she needed, so she started skipping down towards the fish section, passed all the fishermen hawking their catches. Fjord was easy to spot, the only green one out of the bunch.

“Fjord!” she cheered as she rushed up to him.

He gave her a kind smile. “Jester. It’s good to see you.”

“Oh, I’m so very glad to see you too. First thing though, before I forget. Beau needs a favor. Can you talk to the Gentleman and get us a ride on the lake?”

He blinked in surprise. “I thought… wasn’t she trapped in her house?”

“Not right now, in a few weeks. She’s got a plan but we need an escape.”

Fjord seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I can do that for her. I want a favor in return though.”

“Oh, I’m sure Beau would be glad to help you. What do you need?”

“I want to go with you. When you leave town. See… it’s about this sword I got…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything's starting to come together! Just a handful of chapters left. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me so far and left me lovely comments.


	16. Chapter 16

“Jester…”

Jester looked up from the drawer she was stealing medical supplies from. She paused and didn't move for a moment but the infirmary was empty. “Mr. Clay?” she called, looking around. No answer, so she turned back to filling up her bag. 

“Dear Jester, over here…”

Jester spun around this time, just at the right moment to catch a flash of green disappearing out the open outside door. Had that been open a moment ago? “Hello?” She called, starting towards the door. “I’m not scared of you, come out!”

She walked out the back door and found herself staring at the back of a person dressed in a green cloak, their curly red hair falling down around their shoulders. “I didn’t mean to frighten you,” they said, not turning to face her.

She frowned. “You didn’t frighten me. The wedding doesn’t start until this afternoon, guests should go in the main door.”

Vibrant green eyes turned to look at her and her heart started pounding when she recognized them. “Hello, Jester.”

“T-... Traveler?”

“I look like a dumbass.”

“Yes, dear, but what do you think of the dress?”

Beau fixed Mollymauk with a glare and he just grinned at her. “It’s fine.” She started doing knee highs and then did a few jumping jacks. “Easy to move in, no sleeves, lightweight… Perfect for a runaway bride.” The dress was her grandmother’s wedding dress. It was short enough that she wouldn’t trip over it when it was time to run but long enough to cover the fact that she was barefoot.

“Yeah? You wanna do some more exercises, to be sure?”

He was teasing her but she rolled backwards into a handstand. The dress fell down in front of her face to reveal the pants she was wearing underneath and her hand popped out of the tulle to flip him off. “Fuck you.” She lowered herself back down and started bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I just… I just have so much energy. I don’t know what to do with it. It’s really happening.”

“You know that you’re not actually getting married, right?”

“That’s not the part I’m excited about, you dick. That is literally going to be the worst part of this entire day. Let’s go over the checklist, make sure that everything is ready. You have your bag of holding.”

“Check.” He picked it up off the armchair by one of the handles and then let it fall down again.

“Do you know what signal you’re gonna do?”

“I have an idea.”

“Lay it on me.”

He hummed thoughtfully. “No, I think I’ll keep it a surprise.”

She frowned and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t like that. You have to tell me.”

“No, I don’t think I do. Just trust me-”

“I don’t trust you in the least.”

“-you’ll be able to see it and you’ll recognize it when it comes.”

She just sighed and turned back to the mirror, trying to find something to do with her hair that her mouth wouldn’t despise. “Fine. You know what, that’s the least of my worries. How’s Caleb doing?”

At that exact moment, the door to her bedroom opened with a bang and Nott strolled in, under a disguise spell. For a moment Beau had forgotten what she looked like today and had froze . “Caleb is freaking out.” Nott said as she walked in, shutting the door behind her and hoping up on the armchair next to the bag. “I had to come in here to get away from his nervous pacing.”

Molly started towards the door. “I’ll go talk him off the cliff.”

When they were alone, Beau continued the checklist. “Is Fjord ready? Have you spoken to Jester today?”

Nott nodded and kicked her feet idly. “She talked to him yesterday and he said that the Gentleman was providing a boat. When we get to the docks, look for a big green guy, I guess.”

She frowned. “I don’t like that he’s coming with us. I barely know the guy.”

Nott shrugged. “Jester trusts him.”

Beau sighed. “Yeah. I guess that’s good enough for me. Where’s Yasha?”

“Still hasn’t come back from her trip. Caduceus Sent her a message to let her know we were making a break for it but he didn’t hear back from her.”

Beau frowned. “Damn. Down one hand, that’s gonna make this harder. And you know your part?”

“Hide under the chair and steal the key from your father’s pocket when he takes his pants off.”

“No, you’re other part.”

“Uhhh…. Poison Franklin?”

Beau turned back to her with a glare. “Did you forget to do that?”

Nott hopped off the chair. “Nope. On an unrelated note, I’ll be right back.”

She was halfway out the door when Beau called her back. “Nott!” she called. “Don’t kill the guy, okay? Just enough to make him sick.”

“Well that takes all the fun out of it.”

And then she was alone. She turned back to the mirror and let out a nervous breath. “Okay…” she muttered to herself, pulling at the corset and scratching at her boob. “Okay, Beau, you can do this. This is what you’ve been working your whole life for. Freedom is just a few hours away. You’ve got this.” She wasn’t sure how long she was alone in her room with only her own thoughts until there was a knock on the door and she flinched. “Yeah?”

“Are you decent?”

She swallowed a lump in her throat. “Come on in, Father.”

The door opened and her father walked in, wearing his usual robes. “You look beautiful,” he said, walking up and gripping her elbow until she turned to face him. “Your grandmother would have loved to see you in her dress.”

“Why are you here?” she asked, staring into his cold, unfeeling eyes. “I know it’s not just to compliment me.”

He sighed. “Your mother seems to be under the impression that you’ve been… almost too willing to go through with this wedding.”

“I thought that this what what you both wanted? Make up your goddamn minds, do you want me to be obedient or rebellious?”

“That wasn’t a complaint. That was suspicion. I am here to warn you.”

“Threaten me you mean?”

He continued on like she hadn’t spoken. “If you do anything to jeopardize this marriage… if you so much as cough at the wrong time… I will make your remaining life here a living hell.”

“Will you? You won’t just kill me like you killed EJ?”

He squeezed her elbow painfully and then dropped it. Yeah, that was gonna bruise. “That was your fault. You shouldn’t have let him take the blame for your misdeed. Regardless, your punishment will not be as swift. You will live, Beauregard, but I will make you wish you were dead. Understood?”

She turned away and then met his eyes in the mirror. “Understood.”

“I’ll see you at the ceremony, Beauregard. Do not provoke me today.”

The door slammed shut behind him. She felt rage building in her chest and her breath started getting sharp and angry. When a cry full of years of hatred, she punched the mirror. It shattered, fracturing her reflection. She took a deep breath and looked down at her bleeding knuckles.

Meanwhile across the hall, Caleb looked up when Molly entered his room. He was wearing his usual clothes without his coat and his cat was rubbing around his ankles in circles. “Hey, how you feeling?” Molly asked, though he knew the answer by the look on his pale, freckled face. “You look like someone who could use a drink.”

“I can’t drink. I can’t drink anything, I can’t eat anything. I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

Molly picked up the wood board covered in cheese and grapes. “Okay, that’s your problem, there’s nothing on your stomach. Eat something, it’ll make you feel better. What’s got you so worked up?”

Caleb hesitated, but picked up a small block of muenster cheese, popping it into his mouth. “There are so many ways this could wrong. Everyone involved could be jailed or worse. And all for a book that may or may not even exist. Why is Beauregard doing this? She could leave at any time but she’s putting herself and everyone she cares about through this rigmarole, for- for what? Just to die before sunset?”

“She’s doing it for you, obviously.”

“Why though?”

“Because she cares about you. We all care about you, Caleb.”

“You shouldn’t.”

Molly shrugged. “Well, that’s not really your decision, is it? Now, stop this panicking, there will be time for that later. Let’s get you dressed. Hold on, have another piece of cheese.” He waited until Caleb had popped a second square of cheese in his mouth before he sat the wood board down. He walked over to the clothes laid out on Caleb’s bed, a loose white shirt with high waisted black pants and antique cufflinks. “You gonna want my help or will my being here just make it more difficult?”

Caleb scratched at his red cheek and stared at his cat. “I can dress myself. But I may need your help with my cufflinks in a few minutes.”

Molly nodded and started back towards the door. “I’ll be waiting outside. Call if you need me.” 

Molly was only waiting a few moments before Caleb’s door opened once again and the wizard stepped out, holding out his loose cuffs towards his tiefling friend and handing him the cufflinks. “If you would?”

“Certainly.” Molly took this time to admire the way Caleb looked. His hair was pulled back out of his face in a ponytail. The hand held in his own was soft and smooth and the pants he was wearing… damn. 

They were both startled out of their private thoughts when Beau’s bedroom door opened. They looked up as Sir Eston stepped out and Caleb’s back went painfully straight. “Sir,” he said, quietly.

He nodded in greeting. “Just checking in on my daughter.” 

Whatever else he might have said as the door closed behind him was interrupted as a maid jogged up, bowing at the waist when Eston turned his eyes on her. “Beggin your pardon, Sir. Franklin seems to have come down with a sudden flu. He regrets to inform you that he will be incapacitated for the remainder of the day at the least.”

Sir Eston scowled. “Damnit. Very well, send a butler to assist me in my chambers.”

Molly snapped closed the second of Caleb’s cufflinks and then cleared his throat. “Could I be of help, Sir?”

Eston frowned at him and gave him a judgmental look up and down but nodded. “You’ll suffice. Follow me.” He started down towards the room he technically shared with Georgina. Molly and Caleb exchanged a quick glance.

“It’s go time,” he whispered, grinning as he turned and followed quickly. 

Caleb waited until he was alone in the hall and then started to slowly walk towards Beau’s bedroom door. He startled when there was a crash from inside and pushed the door open. “Beau?” he asked, worriedly, to find her staring at her bloody knuckles. He walked over to her and gently took her hand.

She flinched and snatched it away. “Don’t-”

“It’s just me,” he said, holding his hand out towards her still.

She hesitated but let him start tending to her raw knuckles. “I wanted to punch him,” she whispered after a few minutes of silence.

“Just now? What did he say?”

“No. Not now. Before, when-” She cleared her throat. “When I imagined escaping. I always thought I’d go out with a bang, literally. But, if the plan goes the way it’s supposed to, I won’t get the chance.”

“Look on the bright side. Maybe the plan will go horribly wrong and punching him will be the last thing you ever do.”

She snorted. “That’s the spirit, Caleb. You’re such a ray of sunshine.”

The redheaded wizard sighed as he finished wrapping up her wound. “Molly just left with him. Everything is in motion now. There’s no going back.”

She nodded and flexed her bandaged hand. “Let’s tear this motherfucker to the ground.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a short one. I hope you're ready for the exciting conclusion of A Marriage of Convenience!


	17. Chapter 17

_Beau smiled softly as she flipped through EJ’s drawings. He was always better than she was at creative stuff like drawing and telling stories. She was the best at running and climbing though, so she figured it about evened out. There was a lot of drawings in the piles he left behind, most of them of the two of them on their adventures._

_His room was still the way he’d left it. All of his toys were strewn across the floor and his bed was still ruffled from where they had been jumping on it the morning before he… Before he went away. The sky outside was dark with clouds and evening but the candle on the side table by his bed gave her just enough light to see his artwork._

_She giggled at the silly face he’d drawn on his stick figure and then flipped over to the next one, frowning when she recognized the tall stick figure as their father. There was a desk so it must have been Papa’s office. There was a hole in the wall of the office and Papa had something in his hand, a square at the end of a stick. What was this? A secret room? Something magic?_

_Momma always said that she was too curious for her own good._

_She hopped off of EJ’s bed and picked up the candle holder off the table. She peeked out into the hall and smiled when she found it empty. If someone found her wandering around at this time of evening they’d make her go back to her room. She crept silently down the steps into the main entrance and started towards the stairs into the south wing, but paused when she heard footsteps. She blew out her candle and ducked behind a banister, gathering her skirts in his hands to keep them from poking out around her hiding place._

_“Funeral arrangements have been made, Sir. Madam Georgina requests your presence in the tea room.”_

_“Good,” said her father’s voice. “I need to grab something from the office, but tell my wife I’ll be right there.”_

_“Yes, Sir.”_

_Old Lady Esme’s hurried footsteps hurried past her hiding spot and her father’s disappeared up the stairs. When all was quiet once again, she sat down her candle holder and started walking through the dark up the stairs of the south wing._

_She gently pushed open the door to her father's office and opened her mouth to speak but he was nowhere in sight. There was still a candle flickering on his desk so he couldn't have gone far. Rain pelted the window as she shut the door behind her and tiptoed over to his desk. There was a noise from the wall to her right and she gasped. The wall… was moving._

_She threw herself under the desk, rolling into a ball in the darkness. She peeked around the leg as the bookshelf slid open. Her father stepped out and started to slide the shelf back and he pulled out a key with a square block at the end, just like the stick in EJ’s drawing. He stuck the block into the side of a statue and turned it until there was click. Any relief she felt that it was not, in fact, a robber or a monster, was quickly replaced by confusion. Why was her father hiding in a wall? She stayed curled up as he walked towards the desk. He shuffled some papers and started to walk away but paused._

_Beau could feel her heartbeat in her fingertips._

_But he just blew out the candle and walked back towards the door. She didn’t breathe until it closed behind him. She let out a breath of relief. What was she thinking? She needed to get out of here before he came back, she could find out about the hole in the wall later. She climbed out from under the desk and brushed the dirt off her knees before walking towards the office door and pulling it open._

_“Beauregard? What the fuck are you doing in there?!” ___

__

__Eston stripped out of his robes and tossed them to Molly behind him without looking. “So,” he started. “How exactly did my daughter find you?”_ _

__“I assisted in her escape after she was kidnapped.” Molly tossed the robes onto the armchair in the corner and watched as a little green hand peeked out from underneath to riffle through the pockets._ _

__That seemed to peak his interest. “Really?” He asked, holding his arms out to his side. Molly stepped forward and started unzipping the back of his pants. “Why would you do that for a girl you didn’t know?”_ _

__“Not everyone is motivated by self interest, Sir,” he said. There was a jiggle noise in the pocket of the pants as they fell to the floor. Jackpot. He let Eston step out of them and Eston immediately pulled something out of the pants on the ground and held it tightly in his fist. “Here, sir, let me get you your suit.” Molly hurried over to the bed to draw the man’s eyes away from the chair as he spotted Nott begin to climb out from under it._ _

__“Absolutely everyone is motivated by self interest. Did you help her on the condition she give you this job?”_ _

__“Not at all. This job was a thank you for my selfless actions that day. I saw someone in need and I rushed to help.”_ _

__“What if I bought you away from her? I’ll pay you twice what she’s paying you to come work for me.”_ _

__Molly frowned and looked away from the finely pressed suit on the bed. “Sir?”_ _

__“Three times. I will pay you three times what my daughter is paying you to reveal to me everything she has told you. What are her plans for this wedding?”_ _

__Molly cleared his throat and picked up the white shirt, holding it up for Eston to start putting his arms in. “I will tell you her plans for her wedding, Sir,” he whispered, stepping around him to button it up. “Beauregard plans to marry someone she loves and live happily ever after.”_ _

__Eston frowned and started fastening the cufflink on his left wrist. “I don’t believe you. My daughter has never been happy in her entire life.”_ _

__“Maybe you should think about why that is?” Molly snapped. “Sir,” he added, as an afterthought as he walked over to the bed to pick up his pants. He buttoned the man’s pants when Eston pulled them on and then handed him his jacket. “Ready to go, Sir.” Eston stuck the key he’d pulled from his other pair into the back pocket of his suit pants. Molly helped him to pull on his jacket and by the time he was buttoning the front, the key was gone._ _

__“Yes,” he mumbled, starting towards the door. “Come along, I’ll need to lock the door behind you.”_ _

__Molly pointed to the pile of clothes by the armchair. “I’ll need to fold those, Sir. I can lock it on my way out.”_ _

__Eston hesitated a moment, looking him over again, but then shrugged. “Don’t worry about locking it. No one would dare steal from me.” And then he left the room._ _

__Molly sighed and reached under the armchair, closing his hand around something metal about as long as his hand. “Thank you very much,” he said, grinning with pointed teeth. He pulled it out and looked it over. It was just a metal stick with a square bit of metal at the end about the size of a sugar cube. “This isn’t a key.”_ _

__Nott’s head poked out from under the chair and glared at him. “Well, it was the only thing in his pocket. I had one job and I did it. Now it’s your turn.” She climbed out from under the chair and towards the window. “I’m going to meet Jester at the gate.”_ _

__Molly nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind him. He stopped by Beau’s room to pick up the bag of holding he’d left there and it was empty. They must be about to get started, Caleb was gone too. He walked through the residence and into the main entryway. There were people filling into ballroom but they paid him no mind as he walked by towards the southern wing. He walked up through the empty halls and towards Eston’s office. He jiggled the handle and found it locked, no surprise, but he pulled up his foot and smashed it open. With the door hanging haphazardly off its hinges, he walked over to the book shelf that Beau had described. She didn’t know which statue the key went in, but he started scouring the figures decorating the bookshelf for a clue. He tried fitting the block into anything he thought it might fit until it finally slid right into the side of the statue of Bahamut. He took deep breath, then turned it. There was a brief sound of stone grinding on stone and then a click. The bookshelf shook as it pushed out from the wall and he grinned. He grabbed the side of the bookshelf and started to slide it away._ _

__It was dark through the hole that was revealed, but when he stepped inside, the entire room lit up with dancing lights. “Oh… fuck…”_ _

__The room was roughly the same size as one floor of the main library. He wasn’t sure how something this big could fit but those doors lining the hallways must not have been real. The walls of the room were lined with bookshelves. Some of them were filled to the brim with little trinkets and do-dads that seemed to be magical but the majority of the shelves were covered in books. He pulled the bookshelf closed and then sighed and pulled up his bag of holding. He had better get started._ _

__

__Beau bounced nervously on the balls of her feet. Jester reached out to grab her shoulders. “Beau, you’re driving me cuckoo. Stop bouncing like a rubber bear.” They were alone in a sitting room down the hall from the ballroom._ _

__“A rubber b- Nevermind. What if it’s not working? Molly and Nott should be finished with my father by now. The wedding is going to start any minute.” The moment she finished speak they heard music start to waft up the hall. Beau’s breath froze in her lungs._ _

__Jester nodded. “Okay, okay, okay. Everything is going to be fine. I’m going to meet Nott. You just keep calm, alright?” Jester leaned up to kiss Beau on the cheek. “No matter what happens, I’m with you. Sisters for life.”_ _

__Beau smiled softly, feeling herself begin to calm. “Yeah. Sisters for life. Just be careful.”_ _

__The tiefling shrugged as she started for the door. “Why start now?” When she opened the door she froze at the intimidating figure standing on the other side. “Oh! Excuse me, Sir Eston. I was just leaving.” She squeezed passed his body and started towards the kitchen to sneak out the back._ _

__Eston looked up at his daughter and her smile instantly fell. “Shall we?” he asked, holding out his arm for her to take. She took a deep breath and then reached up to hold onto his arm. He lead her down the hall to the closed doors of the ballroom. They waited a tick, and then the wedding march started and the doors were opened. She winced slightly from the sudden light coming in through the glass roof but when they cleared she almost wished that she couldn’t see._ _

__The room was awash in red and white flower arrangements in the shape of lions. The white carpet leading up the aisle was littered in red rose petals and at the other side of the room there was Caduceus, wearing a smart white suit tailor made to fit his giant-kin frame, and Caleb, refusing to meet her eyes and twitching nervously. She stepped in time with her father, feeling every eye in the room pointed at her. She felt a little light headed and suddenly realized that she wasn’t breathing. She took deep breath and straightened her back as they continued forward. She could feel her heartbeat in her ears and the buh-bump, buh-bump was almost louder than the music. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, they reached the end of the aisle. Her father handed her off and she moved her hand from his arm to take the hand that Caleb was offering her._ _

__Holding his hand felt odd at first, but then she remembered that he had held her hand earlier, to bandage her knuckles, and just imagined that they were just doing that. Nothing weird was happening, it was just some friendly wound tending._ _

__Caduceus cleared his throat as her father took his seat and the music came to an end. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” the fibolg said, drawing out every syllable in an exaggerated version of his usual drawl. “We are gathered here today to witness two hearts becoming one. Two families becoming one family. Two souls joining under the eyes of the gods.” He paused for a moment and continued. “Two piles of dough coming together to make a delicious bread. Two sets of burdens becoming shared. Two lives changing forever for the better.” Beau bit her lip to keep from smiling too widely. If she looked happy her parents might get suspicious but she almost couldn't help it. She had asked her friend to keep it long, but she hadn’t expected it to be this amusing. “In the eyes of the gods, we wish these two everlasting happiness. The bride and groom have prepared their own vows.”_ _

__

__Jester ran through the trees, avoiding the guards patrolling along the dirt road that led up to the front of the house. There were sticks in her hair and her dress but she kept running. Finally the gate came into view and paused, spotting two guards standing by the gate._ _

__“How you wanna take them out?” asked a voice to her right and she gasped. She nearly screamed but then she recognized the voice and looked over to find Nott’s face in the underbrush. “Beau said no killing unless we have to. Is this a ‘have to’?”_ _

__“No,” Jester said. “If we kill someone it won’t just be her parents coming after us, it’ll be the Crownsguard too. We need to find a way to knock them out.”_ _

__Suddenly the started to move. “Hey!” one of them called. “No one gets in without an invitation.”_ _

__Nott frowned and tried to stand on her tiptoes to see. “Who is it?”_ _

__Jester frowned and started to slowly move around the tree beside her. “I don’t know. Maybe we can used them as a distraction?” She leaned over and gasped when she recognized the figure at the gates._ _

__“Can I see your invitation?”_ _

__Yasha frowned. “I’m Beau’s bodyguard. Here for the wedding. I think I’m late.”_ _

__Jester quickly tried to remember what she had learned the morning and cleared her throat, casting Sending. “Dear Yasha, this is Jester we are right in these trees here. Could you knock those two guys out? Don’t-”_ _

__Yasha grabbed both guards by the heads and smashed them together. The unconscious, definitely concussed, guards crumpled to the ground in front of her and Jester cheered. Nott blinked in surprise. “Where did you learn that?”_ _

__Jester waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it.” She burst out of the trees and grinned. “Yasha! I’m so glad you're here! We’re busting Beau and Caleb out! Do you want to help?”_ _

__She nodded slowly. “Yes. I would like to help.”_ _

__“Great, great, that’s perfect, yes. Let me fill you in and then we need to blow out these candles.”_ _

__Yasha didn’t even question it, just nodded. “Okay. Sure. Is Beau alright?”_ _

__“Beau is gonna be just fine, everything is going perfectly.”_ _

__Nott frowned beside her. “Almost too perfectly. Something has to go wrong, there’s no way one of Beau’s plans is going to work out this well.”_ _

__“Nott, don’t be so pessimistic.”_ _

__

__Molly shoveled books into the bag of holding as fast as he was able. He also threw in any magic items he came across. A golden puzzle ball, a wand with a smile carved into the handle, an intricate box with a paintbrush and ink inside, he was moving faster than he had in all the time he could remember. He tired to focus on the books, since he didn’t want to run out of room before he got them all, but there was a lot of cool shit in here. When the last book had been scooped into the bag to continued throwing in vaguely magically objects until the bag refused to take in anything else. He sighed a relief. He had it all._ _

__He turned to leave and threw the bag over his shoulder. He shifted the bookshelf a little and then froze when he heard voices from outside._ _

__“Nothing appears to have been stolen,” someone was muttering quietly to themselves. “But I had better let Sir-” whatever the person was about to say was interrupted by a retch as they threw up in a metal sounding bucket._ _

__Molly sighed and pushed the bookshelf the rest of the way open. “Franklin, dear,” he called, cheerfully. “You should be in bed getting over this bug.”_ _

__Franklin blinked in surprise and hurriedly wiped his mouth. “Mollymauk! What are you doing- why is there a hole in the wall?”_ _

__Molly smiled sweetly. “It’s just where Eston keeps all his keepsakes, antiques, and valuables. He asked me to fetch something from it that he wants to give Mr. Widogast as a gift. He pulled out the key and showed it to him. “See. It’s an ancient family heirloom that is always kept by the man of the house. He forgot it and since you were indisposed he sent me to fetch it.”_ _

__Franklin looked confused but mostly convinced. “Maybe I should go with you to deliver it.”_ _

__“Franklin, Franklin, dear Franklin. The wedding has already begun. Don’t you think that sound of vomiting would ruin the Young Mistress’ special day? You let me handle this. You just focus on getting better.”_ _

__Franklin opened his mouth to speak again but just threw up in the bucket once more. “Okay,” he muttered through a groan. “If Sir Eston sent you- Mollymauk?” When he looked up Molly was gone. Franklin sniffled and wiped his nose but started heading back to his office to get done what work he could in his state._ _

__Molly hurried down the stairs and then down the hall towards the ballroom. He gently cracked open the door to see what was going on inside._ _

__Caleb was speaking in Zemnian and he really shouldn’t have found it as hot as he did since he knew for a fact that it was nonsense words that his wizard friend was stringing together to take up time, Caleb had told him they would be. He looked around at the faces in the crowd and found more than one person dozing off. He smirked. Perfect._ _

__He glanced up when Caleb stopped speaking and it seemed to be Caduceus’ turn again. Beau was shifting nervously and he saw the tip of her bare toe peek out from under her dress as she used it the scratch at the back of her ankle._ _

__“Is there…” Caduceus said, drawing out his words unnecessarily. “... anyone present today… who would object to this union?”_ _

__Molly kicked open the door and everyone in the audience gasped. “I object!” he called, his voice echoing around the room. The look Beau was giving him was scathing. He could almost imagine her hissing ‘Where the fuck have you been?’ right in his face._ _

__Caleb’s face looked relieved as well and he visibly let out he sigh .He might not be quite so happy to see Molly if he knew what was about to happen._ _

__Caduceus looked palpably relieved. “For what reason do you object?”_ _

__“I object because I am in love with the groom!”_ _


	18. Chapter 18

The room remained silent for an ungodly amount of time and then every single eye turned back up to Caleb for his response. His mouth catfished for a few seconds and, finally, it was Beau who spoke.

“That's your motherfucking signal?” she asked, picking up the ends of her dress and running through the door that Molly had just come through.

Molly shrugged. “You said to pick something you’d see.” He grabbed Caleb by the arm and pulled him out after her. Caduceus gave the room a kind smile and then turned and ran after them all.

“Stop them!” her father’s voice boomed, echoing after them down the hall. “Don’t let them get away.”

Beau paused just inside the kitchen and waved them all forward. “Go, go,” she hissed. She waited until they were securely out of the way and then started knocking shit down in their path. She pulled down shelves full of cans that clanged and rolled all over the floor. She overturned tables and chairs. A guard tripped over one of the shelves and sprawled on the ground in front of her so she turned to ran out the same door that the others had disappeared through. She ran down the hill, tripping over her dress and rolling for a few feet. He managed to get her legs back under her as she reached the edge of the trees and just kept running. She kicked up brush and dead leaves stuck to the bottoms of her feet but she didn’t slow, she didn’t hesitate.

She burst out of the trees near the gate and saw a few of her friends waiting for her at the bottom of the hill, just outside the gates. The candles were out, the boundary was down. Molly, Caduceus, and Caleb had reached them before her and the purple tiefling grinned and waved at her as she got near. Yasha was there, smiling softly when she came into view. Nott was on Caleb’s shoulders, waving her arms to tell her to hurry up. The only person that she didn’t see right away was Jester, but if Nott was there and the boundary was gone she must be waiting nearby.

“Stop right there, Beauregard!” She froze in her tracks and turned around to find her father stepping out of the trees where she had just come from, pointing a sword at her. He was glaring at her with an anger she’d never seen before. “You and your friends are not going anywhere.” He was panting for breath, his hair and clothes in disarray.

Beau scowled. “I’m leaving. You can’t stop me. I’m leaving and I am never coming back.”

He stepped towards her but she didn’t move, her face turned down in determination. He stopped just when the tip of his sword hit the tip of her nose. “I will hunt you to the end of the world. No one gets the best of me.”

“Beau, run!” Jester exclaimed, running out of the trees towards her father.

“Jes, no-!”

Her father swung on instinct, his sword slicing a thin, red line on Beau’s nose and then soaring towards Jester's face. It passed harmlessly through her head and flew out of his grip. He blinked in shock. “Wha-What?”

The illusion giggled and waved her fingers at him before disappearing into thin air. He turned back to Beau and she smirked at him, taking a single step towards the man who had controlled her entire life. “See,” she started when he took a step back. “There’s this thing that happens in nature that Caduceus was telling me about. The more times you hurt something, the more times it’s forced to heal over the damage, the stronger it gets. Can you imagine for a moment, how strong something would be if you beat it down for twenty four years and forced it to heal itself over and over and over. It’d be a lot motherfucking stronger than you.”

“You are nothing-” Eston growled and swiped at her but she caught his fist in the air.

She smirked when he tried to pull his hand away but she didn’t let it go. “Yeah, you don’t get to do that anymore.” She dropped his hand and turned to continue walking towards her friends. 

Jester cheered when Beau reached her and threw her arms around her neck. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”

Beau smiled and kissed her forehead. “Thank you. When did you learn to do that?”

“Guards!” Eston called, stomping back towards the house. “Thieves! Guards!”

Jester shook her head. “I’ll tell you later. Run!”

They all took off down the road as fast as the could, Yasha scooping Caleb and Nott up into her arms when the wizard started wheezing and falling behind. There was the sound of horses coming up behind them and Caleb cast a wall of fire across the road to slow them down.

“They’re gaining!” he called ahead. “That won’t slow them down for long!”

“Keep running!”

Jester suddenly made a hard turn and started running towards the trees. “This way! I know a shortcut, I used to come this way to visit Beau!” Everyone followed her blindly into the dark woods. 

They crashed through the leaves and fallen branches, not even bothering with stealth in favor of speed. Beau brought up the rear to make sure that no one else fell behind and she heard footsteps coming up behind them. She looked over her shoulder and saw several large shapes gaining on them. She pressed her arms to Caduceus’ back and pressed him forward. “Go, go, go! Fuck!”

They reached the edge of the woods once more and found themselves about one hundred feet from the docks. There was only one boat still there, the rest of them gone fishing early that morning most likely.

“Do you see Fjord?” Nott asked, climbing up Jester’s shoulder and head and trying to get a better view. “Is that our boat?”

A figure on the boat, dark in the sunset behind him, waved. “Jester!” Fjord’s voice called.

Jester grinned and she lead everyone up the plank and onto the boat. “Fjord!” she cheered, throwing herself in his arms. 

Beau moved to the back of the boat and watched as guards started emerging from the trees where they had just come from. Three guards… seven… nine… thirteen… “We have to go!” she called as the count moved to sixteen. “Now!”

Fjord called up to the old woman at the helm. “Uma! Let’s go!” He let go of Jester’s hug and ran over to the mast. He pulled on a rope and the sail unfurled. 

Beau put one foot on the dock and pushed the boat away. “Go faster!” she called as the first guard hit the end of the dock.

“It’s the wind, lassie!” Uma, a short rotund dwarf standing at the helm, called. “You can’t make it go faster!”

Jester and Caduceus exchanged a glance. “But we can make the water go faster,” the firbolg said. They both went to the back of the boat, next to Beau. In tandem, they cast control water and the boat lurched forward away from the dock. One guard in the front of the group threw herself towards the boat and caught the side of it before they sped away.

“I don’t fucking think so!” Beau exclaimed, smashing her fingers with her foot until she let go and got caught in their wake.

“Wooo!” Uma cheered, struggling to control the helm but loving it. “That’s a hell of trick, dearies! Any chance either of you is looking for a job? Hey tall-boy, you’re a cutie, you wanna be me first mate?” She winked and Caduceus looked away awkwardly. 

“No thank you.”

The spells slowed to a stop and the boat started moving by wind speed alone. Beau suddenly found her knees weak and fell to the deck. “Beau,” Caleb mumbled, rushing over and kneeling beside her. Jester looked at her worriedly over Caleb’s shoulder

“No, I just… I’m free. I’m actually free. I gotta be honest, I wasn’t expecting it all to work out. Shit doesn’t usually go my way.”

Molly sauntered up next to her. “Well, that was just because you didn’t have us. We’re on your side now, things are gonna be-”

“Don’t bunch up like that!” Uma called. Her voice shattering the moment. “You’re weighing down the back of the boat and slowing us down. Spread out!”

Everyone muttered quietly to themselves and started fanning out around the deck, until only Beau and Caleb remained at the back. Fjord started moving closer and cleared his throat. “I’m just gonna be here for a second, Uma, calm the fuck down,” he said. He kneeled down in front of Beau and handed her a sack of gold. “This one is from The Gentleman. Your first payment for all the information you’ve been sending him over the last few weeks.” He pulled out a second sack of gold. “And this is from a strange group of folk who said that you helped them and they wanted to repay you.”

Beau looked confused but took both purses. “A strange group of people?”

“I think they were from the circus? They looked like the kind of people who’d work for the circus.”

“Fjord-!”

“I’m spreading out, Uma! Keep your damn shirt on!” He got up and started walking away.

There was roughly a hundred gold pieces in each purse. “Wow,” she mumbled. “This will easily take care of us for a while, until we can get on our feet. We can get a cart and some horses.” She caught Caleb’s eyes and he looked away. “Will you be coming with us?”

“If… if you’ll have me. It will take me a while to go through those books and you could use the help.”

“Do you need to go back to the Academy?”

Caleb cleared his throat and shook his head. “No. When it became clear that we were going to go through with the wedding, I sent a letter of sabbatical. I have this-” he showed her the amulet around his neck. “-to keep them from scrying me. Once they realize that I’m gone for good there is little that they can do about it.”

“Shit, can you make me one of those?”

Caleb hesitate in saying yes. “Maybe. I’ll see what I can do.”

Beau shrugged. “Well, you’re welcome as long as you wanna stay, man.”

Molly sighed from several feet away. “You’re both so infuriating. Just say you love each other and we can all move on.”

Beau glared at him and flipped him off. “If I remember correctly, the one who said ‘I love you’ to Caleb was you.”

Caleb’s freckled face turned an unnatural shade of red and he frowned nervously. “Th-That was just to signal that we were good to leave.”

They both turned back to the tiefling in question and Beau raised an eyebrow. Molly shrugged non-committedly. “Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. You’ll have to hang around for a while to find out.”

Beau snickered. “Since when do you keep your feelings so close the vest? Just say you love him and we can all move on.”

“Fuck you, Beau,” he said, turning away and walking to the other side of the deck.

“Go fuck yourself, Molly!”

“Don’t bunch up!”

It took half an hour to get to the center of the lake and Uma gave the order, Fjord pulled up the sail. The boat started to drift in the darkness. “Why are we stopping?” Jester asked Fjord.

Fjord pointed to Beau. “It was her idea.”

Beau nodded. “In one of the letters I sent The Gentleman, I asked him to let the captain of the boat he was arranging for us know that we needed two skiffs. Uma’s gonna drop us here and then continue to the other side of the lake. The guards will go there first, assuming we took the trip the entire way. This way we get a bit of a head start and they won’t know where we’re going.”

“That is… surprisingly brilliant,” Caleb said.

“Hey, I’m smart.”

“I knew you were smart,” he amended. “I didn’t know you were clever as well.”

“Fuck you.”

She, Jester, Caleb and Nott climbed into the first skiff. Fjord, Molly, Caduceus and Yasha got into the second one. The skiffs were detached from the sides of the boat and started drifting away. Uma unfurled the sail once more and the larger boat started moving faster away. 

“Good luck!” she called. “And Ducie, dear, if you change your mind, you’re always welcome!”

“Thank you! I’ll think about it!” the firbolg called though he shook his head at Fjord’s curious look. “I won’t think about it. But I didn’t want to be rude.”

Jester took the paddles and started aiming their skiff towards the shore. Yasha manned the paddles on the other one. After the first hour, they switched off with Beau and Fjord, respectively, and so on and so forth until they finally reached the shore nearly three and a half hours after Uma left.

Beau groaned as she dropped the paddles and flexed her hands as the skiff slid up on the sand. “Damn, I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t realize my idea was gonna take so long.”

“You stopped us in the middle of a lake to row in, what else did you expect?” Fjord asked as their boat slid up on the sand beside the first one.

“I have literally never been on the lake before, man. The entire plan was theoretical. Why didn’t you bring it up before we left?” Beau climbed out of the boat and onto solid ground. She relief for a moment the feeling of sand between her toes and then moved to help Jester out of the skiff. 

Molly sighed and rolled his shoulders. “That was quite a nice ride actually. Calming, romantic. We heading to the nearest town?”

Beau looked down at the sand around her bare feet. “Yeah,” she muttered. “Actually… first can someone show me how to make a sandcastle?”

Jester cheered and kneeled down on the sand, patting the spot beside her until Beau moved to sit down. “Oh, I can’t wait, we’re going to have so much fun! What’s your opinion on moats? Okay, actually, moats are kind of like a boundary spell, let’s nix the moat. Not gate either, no walls… just towers! No, that's too much like the fairy tales about princesses trapped in towers against their will. Okay, no sandcastle, how do you feel about a sand village?”

Beau smiled softly at her best friend. “Jester, really, whatever you wanna make is fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Molly sat cross legged across from them and started running his fingers through the sand. “How about a sand circus?”

“Brilliant! Okay, see, this is how you do it…”

That night, Beau stared at the ceiling of the inn room that she was sharing with Jester, Caleb and Nott. Jester was curled into her side and snoring softly and Caleb and Nott were in the other bed. Nott was sleeping, curled around the pillow in almost a perfect circle, but Caleb was still up, going through everything that Molly had taken from her father’s storage room by the light of one of his magic, floating balls.

“Hey,” she said quietly. “Find anything interesting?”

“It’s all interesting, Beauregard, otherwise your father wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths to hide it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Not yet, but I’m almost done. Though, I did find a magic paintbrush that Jester might enjoy. She showed me many of her sketchbooks, I thought she might find that appealing.”

“Well, that’s awfully thoughtful.”

He opened his mouth to speak but paused when he pulled out one final book. He sighed heavily and stuck it back in, but didn’t go for another. “It’s not here. It doesn’t exist.”

Beau frowned and was quiet for a moment. “There’s a chance Prucine still has it?” she suggested.

He didn’t look convinced but nodded. “I suppose it’s possible. All that trouble… You could have left at any moment but you stayed in that Hell house for me and it ended up being for nothing. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. Leaving the way we did meant that you got to come with us. If I’d left any earlier you would have stayed behind to keep looking for your book. You’ll figure this out,” she assured him. “This isn’t the end of the line just because you found a dead end. And if it’s not the book we’ll find some other way for you to get what you want.” He didn’t move to speak so she continued. “Take it from someone who spent almost two decades beating her fist against an invisible wall. Dealing with pain and disappointment is always better when you’ve got people who care about you. I don’t know what would have happened to me if Jester hadn’t been determined to save me. If you stick around maybe we’ll help you through it.”

Caleb sighed. “I think I will stay,” he said. “I have come to care for you all.”

Beau rolled her eyes and started to shift onto her side. “Be careful with that sentiment, someone might think you have feelings.”

“Beau…” he started. She paused in her shifting and looked over her shoulder at him. “Thank you. You have no idea what everything… You have no idea how much being here with you means to me.”

She turned her face into her pillow to hide her sudden awkwardness. “Go the fuck to sleep, you’re keeping the rest of us awake.” Jester undercut her point by suddenly snorting in her slumber but Caleb doused his dancing light and laid down on his back on top of the covers. “Good night, Widogast.”

“Gute Nacht, Beauregard.”

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! I hope you enjoy the end of this adventure and the beginning of a new one. There will be a super short epilogue but, yeah, this is pretty much it.


	19. Epilogue

~ Three Years Later~

Beau stepped into the Evening Nip, the shittiest bar in Zadash. She smiled and waved at Momma Marion at the counter as she sipped from her glass of wine. Marion grinned and opened her arms for a hug. Beau stepped into her reach and let herself be crushed. “Oh, Darling! It’s been days! Are you all back, is my Jessie with you?”

“They stopped off at the house to drop some things off,” she said. “I heard the big man had some news for me so I came over first. They shouldn’t be more than fifteen minutes behind me.”

“Oh, lovely. Tell my husband that I’m off the clock tonight, would you? I want to spend some time with two beautiful daughters.” She kissed Beau’s cheek and then let her go.

Beau waved at the dwarf running the counter and he didn’t even look up. “Go on in, Beau,” he called, his voice gravely and tired.

Beau descended into the secret bar underneath which was far more lively, even at mid afternoon. She smirked as she approached The Gentleman on his throne and pushed herself to the front of the line of people waiting to talk to him.

“Hey!” someone complained but she flipped him off. 

“Hey, Big Man,” she called.

He turned his eyes from her papers in his lap and sighed when he recognized her. “Beauregard. So lovely to see you once more.”

“Hey, you’re the one that called me, okay. Just tell me your news, I’ll get a drink at the bar, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

He waved his hand like it was no big deal. “There was no need to hurry over.”

Beau rolled her eyes. “For fuck’s sake, just tell me already.”

He stood up from his throne and walked over to hand her a piece of paper. “I just received news from Trina back at Daughter’s.”

Beau quickly read over the paper and frowned. “You called me here because sales are up? Of course sales are up, we’re selling the best recipes in the Empire for next to nothing.”

“Turn the paper over, you’re insufferable.”

Beau flipped the paper over and continued reading. Her eyes widened when she read the last sentence. “Lionett’s Winery has officially declared that it’s going out of business,” she read aloud.

The Gentleman grinned and then retook his paper and seat. “I’ve also been informed by spies I had in your parents’ employ that they have sold the house and are moving to something far more modest on the Menagerie Coast.”

“It worked.”

“That it did, my girl. That it did. How does revenge feel?”

Beau looked surprised. “Revenge? I… I had almost forgotten about this actually.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You had almost forgotten about destroying your family’s business?”

“They haven’t been my family in a long time. Hey, I’m glad you got what you wanted, but I don’t think I’m going to hang around and celebrate with you. I’ll just take that ale on the road. Send us any jobs you think we’ll find interesting. Oh, also, your wife wants the night off.”

“I assumed she would. Good luck with your endeavors, Dear.”

“See ya later.”

Beau grabbed a mug of ale from the bar and gave the cute half elf bartender a wink. The young woman giggled and tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. “You coming by later tonight, Beau?” she asked, leaning against the bar in a way that showed off her cleavage.

“Not tonight, I’m afraid, I’m hanging out with my Mom and sister. We’ll hang out before I leave town again, okay?”

The young woman pouted and reached out to touch Beau’s elbow. “Promise?”

“Absolutely.”

She walked back up the stairs, taking a swig of her mug and found the others standing around Jester and Marion in a circle as Jester animatedly told her mother the story of how they killed the leader of a group of slaves called the Iron Shepherds.

“And then Caleb was all ‘You shouldn’t have killed my cat’ it was surprisingly badass.”

Molly looked up when he heard her enter, his left arm around Caleb’s shoulders as the wizard leaned into his side. “Beau,” he said. “What was the news?”

She shrugged and walked up to stand with her family. “Nothing important, I’ll tell you later.”


End file.
